Australia Day as a Christian

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This is God's great Southland of the Holy Spirit - with destiny and prophetic purpose under God. 

And today is a day to pause and reflect on the many reasons why we can be truly thankful to call Australia home.

Coming together to celebrate our nationhood is so important.

We have many national days reserved for reflection and mourning, but today should be a day of thankfulness for the good things we are privileged to share, including education, health care, our economy, employment, food and shelter, and our democracy.

We do well to reflect and learn from past wrongs. And yes, our history has sin involved, but so does every past, and every culture. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. That is what makes the Good News - the unmerited favour of God shown to us through the sacrificial life of Jesus - so good! 

In many places in the world we have seen the tragic consequences of unhealed bitterness, unforgiveness, distrust and division - where the fabric of nationhood seems irreparably torn.

Let's not go down that road. Today, let's focus on the things that unite us as a country, not divide us.

Philippians 4:8 KJV — Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Philippians 4:9 KJV — Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

(Excerpt from Michelle Pearse ACL)