We have a really beautiful opportunity to collectively put into practice what Pastor Gabe preached about on Sunday! As we learn more about what it means for us to be part of God’s Family and to be a Kingdom Family at LifeSpring, we are learning about the importance of our families being places of learning. And who knew we would have a chance to apply this teaching to our lives so soon?!
Tomorrow, September 30th, Canada will be celebrating the very first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. It is also the same day as Orange Shirt Day, which is a day where we remember the fact that thousands of Indigenous children were separated from their families and sent away to Indian Residential Schools** in Canada. This day was established to set time aside to learn and reflect on the harmful legacy of Indian Residential Schools in Canada and also how to move forward as a nation towards reconciliation.
This is a perfect time for us, as a church family, to pause and reflect.
Not because it’s a trendy thing to do or because everyone else is wearing orange so we will too. Not because we want a day off work or because we’ll look bad if we don’t follow the crowd.
Instead, we can pause and reflect on this day because, as a Kingdom Family, we are choosing to commit to growing in the ways of the Lord! Because genocide and oppression are not Kingdom Values and because before we can teach others, we must humble ourselves to learn.
In Luke 4, right at the beginning of his ministry (just after he’s resisted the devil’s temptations in the desert), Jesus visits a synagogue on the Sabbath. As an honoured guest and respected rabbi in his home synagogue, he was asked to read from the scroll of Isaiah… here’s the passage he decided to read:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
(Luke 4:18-19)
If we want to grow as the people of God, as members of a Kingdom Family, we must prepare to follow the example Jesus set before us. These things he highlighted meant that they were and are still important to his Father!
And so, as we bring all of this together, what does it look like for us to partner with Jesus in proclaiming good news to the poor? To proclaim freedom for prisoners and to set the oppressed free? What does it look like for us, at LifeSpring, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour on National Day of Truth and Reconciliation?
I’m going to challenge all of us, myself included, to pause.
Because before we can begin proclaiming anything at all, it is important to listen to the stories around us. To hear the (very recent) historical accounts of what has taken place in Canada. And as we learn more, it is important for us to teach our children and our families not just about what has happened and how much harm has been done… but to recognize our unique position as members of the Family of God.
We know the freedom and healing and favour of the Lord and we get to share this good news with others! Starting with our fellow Kingdom Family members.
May we have eyes to see and ears to hear that which the Spirit is doing in our midst!
Join with us in praying for healing from trauma (physical, spiritual, mental and emotional wounds), for restoration and for healing for generations of Indigenous families and communities; let’s pray for God’s love to be revealed and known.
Practice listening prayer and ask God about what you and your family can do in this ministry of healing and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.
** Indian Residential Schools were established to assimilate Indigenous children into euro-Canadian culture and to “kill the Indian” in the child. The Church played an active and harmful role in running these institutions on behalf of the government. where children were abused, neglected, coerced and in many cases, died. It is heartbreaking that generations of children experienced this, which has led to the breakdown of families and communities that continues today.