Pleasant Places

 

July 3, 2025

 

Psalm 16:5–6

“Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.”

 

I hope you all had a wonderful Canada Day celebration.


Psalm 16 is a confession of trust in God’s providence, a reminder for us that our lives, our inheritance, and even the land beneath our feet are gifts from a sovereign and loving Creator. As Christians living in Canada, we reflect on this psalm while appreciating the beauty of creation, valuing our social freedoms, and seeking peace amid a world facing many challenges. These are expressions of what theologians call common grace, are you familiar with this term? Common Grace refers to God’s goodness generously poured out on all people and nations, whether they recognize it or not. Acts 14:16-17 says that our good God, “In the past, let all nations go their own way. Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”

The rivers, lakes and forests, the safety of our streets, and while not perfect, our democratic structures are a blessing, and the beautiful mosaic of cultures and traditions, are all part of a larger providential story. And within that story, God’s people are called to be more than grateful spectators. We are called to be stewards: of the land, of our freedoms, and of our lives. As I heard in a podcast recently, “Gratitude must never become complacency. Instead, it becomes the seed of holy responsibility.”

The “pleasant places” the psalmist describes are not merely physical or political; they are covenantal. In Christ, our ultimate inheritance is not land but the Kingdom of God (Hebrews 11:13–16). Yet, even as we await the fullness of that Kingdom, we are called to bear witness to it here and now, in the way we honour the land, welcome the stranger, speak for the voiceless, and build communities marked by righteousness and peace. Canada is not the Kingdom, but it can be a picture of Kingdom living for all to see.


We give thanks for the grace of God who “determined the times set for [us] and the exact places where [we] should live” (Acts 17:26). What will we do with such a gift? My prayer for all of us is that we will live not just as citizens of our beloved country, Canada, but as ambassadors of Jesus Christ in the land entrusted to us?


Let’s Pray

Gracious and Sovereign God,

We thank You for the gift of this land, its wide skies and deep forests, its clean waters and peaceful streets. We acknowledge with awe that every good gift, including the places we live and the freedoms we enjoy, comes from Your hand.

Thank You for the blessings of peace, diversity, and opportunity. Forgive us when we take these for granted or fail to use them for Your purposes.

Lord, make us faithful stewards of this inheritance. Teach us to live with gratitude, humility, and courage. Show us how to care for the land, seek justice for the vulnerable, and build bridges across divisions. Let our love for Canada never obscure our loyalty to Your Kingdom.

May Your Church be a light in every province and territory, may we be a people marked by compassion, truth, and hope. May we live as faithful citizens of both earth and heaven, as we await the fullness of Your promised reign.

Through Christ our Lord,

Amen.