Perspectives

The Love For Our Country

  • Peter Friesen, Author
  • Retired Minister

John 15-11-14… 11) I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12) My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13) Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14) You are my friends if you do what I command. (NIV)

As a young Sailor in the Canadian Navy during the years 1955-1960… One of the first things that catches my attention onboard my new home the HMCS New Glasgo is that there will be a live gunner exercise off the West Cost of Canada. My name is among the list of men who will take part in this live exercise. The gun that I will be firing has rounds (Bullets) weighing thirty-five plus pounds each. A hundred different thoughts enter mine mind… what will it be like? What will it feel like? Will I remember what to do? Will anybody sense the fear in the pit of my stomach.

Dense fog obscures our vision as we slip out of the harbor, all we can see is a short distance ahead. The mournful wail of the fog horns does not help the weird feeling deep inside of me. No time to daily about. Systems checked, protective clothing for the gunnery crews is issued. Once on the upper deck it takes only moments to prepare the guns for action. Ammunition comes up from the ammunition room located just below the gun and placed in a storage bay behind the gun. Tension in my stomach is indescribable. Then the order comes to load the guns. Each round (bullet) feels like it weighs a ton as I push the 35 lb. plus bullet into the breach-block of the gun Then I step aside just as I hear the order… fire!! Without thinking I hit the firing button with my open hand and at that moment everything around me seems to be on fire. The blast of heat, the noise, the concussion has their effect. I am out of there. The next thing I hear is the gunnery officer shouting for me to get back to my gun. Collecting my senses and whatever courage – there is in me, I return to my gun, reload, and fire. But this time I did not run. Something changed, the fear was gone, and, in its place, a weird eerie strange excitement took the place of fear. I could feel the power of the gun every time I hit the firing button. What was different? What happened? It is as though for a moment in time I was immortal, and in my hands was the power of life and death.

The idea that we are immortal is the most inspiring thought in all human history. Let your thoughts wander about a little, just image if it were impossible for us to die, that we would never age beyond a certain age no matter what happened to us whether at war or at peace. Better still, that we ourselves should live on and on never to fear war. I am sure that you would agree that life would truly be beautiful.

Canada’s position in the world today is one that gives hope to people in war torn countries. Our respect for others is not sporadic, is not impulsive, neither is it an outburst of superficial emotion; it is unbroken it is intense, and we are committed to doing good with the use of our armed forces during war or peace. Ours is a decision that continually seeks the highest good of others. It is a determination to help those who cannot help themselves, those held hostage by despots who wage war for their own personal gain.

The Bible teaches to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. That means our love for ourselves is the foundation, or I should say the comparison for how we are to love others. Here we have a principle where we see this relationship move to a much deeper level than mere friendship. When we as a country. I mean Canada as a whole… see the rest of the world as our friends, we will disregard all the rubbish. We may even disregard the pain of personal sacrifice. And there is an incredibly good chance that we will disregard the fact that they are not even our own compatriots. Soldiers, Sailors, and Air Force personnel do just that, they go, even if that sacrifice means death… To God Be the Glory Great Things He Has Done.

Would you pray this prayer with me…? “Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Forgive my sins. I want my life to change. My thoughts and my attitude need to change. I do not have peace in my heart. I really want that peace, joy, and happiness that I long for. Please let the Holy Spirit help me be the kind of Christian that will bring honor to Your Name.” Amen