Standing on guard

For Canadians, July 1st is the day we remember the act of Dominion in 1867 (an act of British parliament granting us our own governance under the Queen or King). Then, since our Constitution in 1982, it has become Canada Day. Now, more than ever, I see flag waving nationalism when it used to be far more self-deprecating, apologetic flying of the maple leaf. In fact, we've only had our own flag since the 1960s. Canada has come into its own through the back door, quietly, without tremendous violence and bloodshed. That, too, is up for debate (many historians feel that Canada "found itself" on the battlefield of Vimy Ridge in World War I).

One of the lines in the national anthem is: O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. I've always wondered what that means. It doesn't sound like we will vigilantly defend our freedom. We aren't exactly asking God to protect it. We are hardly asking God to do anything, to be honest.

What are you standing on guard for? What would you defend and fight for? What do you believe in strongly enough to live for?

Of course, as Christians we are going to say that the "right answer is Jesus" because that is what we should say. But is that what we would say in our heart?

In the past three years, my life has been rocked from top to bottom. Everything has been stripped back to the foundations and even the foundations have been cracked in places. But I am still here. And I have realized that there are things I would totally stand on guard for, things I cannot live without, things I value more highly than any other. Here are a few to get us started:

1. The Place of Peace: In the last three years, I have been rocked from top to bottom. Everything I knew has been stripped away, and now I am left with a life that bears little resemblance to the one I had then. More than ever before, I am firmly connected to having that centre of peace, the place of restoration. I will fight for it. I am grumpy and unsettled without it. I desperately need that refuge of time and space. Just like everyone else, I'm caught up in the frantic pace of life (often doing things that aren't critically important), but without a centre I am completely lost.

2. Creativity: In restrictive regimes, all creativity bows to the struggle for survival. Many governments control creative expression to make it conform. Creativity is a sincere form of self-expression which, under the power of the Holy Spirit is a true act of worship.

3. Education: we all need the ability to read, to think, to reason and to have a renewed mind with which to reason.

4. Safety: emotional safety, physical safety, spiritual safety. We have an anchor who keeps us safe and nothing else can dislodge Him.

There can be times when we must contend for these things. They do not just "come". But, we are assured of the victory because Jesus is on our side. We must carve space out for peace, we must (sometimes) clear out the things that make us unsafe.

Lately, I have had the sense that I must rise up to fight for my daughter to be adopted. I can't just wait endlessly while nothing happens and legal process is delayed for no reason. So, I have contacted a lawyer, and I'm hoping I can at least find out what my position is.

I heard this wonderful definition of patience: "independent, unyielding, defiant perseverance in the face of aggressive misfortune and thus to a kind of courageousness." That is certainly not what I think of when I think of patience. To make waiting a more active thing is so helpful, but to make patience an act of assertion is even better. Who wants to lay down and let life run over top of them? That is part of the anger of grief - this happened and I had no control over it, no power to stop it and now no way to go back to the place I was.

So, in the midst of waiting (again) and having to be patient (again) for the expected hope and the unknown door to open, I will take my stand. I will persevere with defiance because I need to contend for the things most important to me.

What are you contending for?