One or Young?

Not sure about you, but every now and then I still find myself quietly contemplating our national anthem change, often interchanging them, Young and free… or one and free?

I was thinking about that this week because both those two words capture something important about who we are, and who we're choosing to be as a people and Nation.

Young and free speaks to our aspirations, what our forefathers wanted Australia to be. A nation still willing to build, to try, to welcome, and to believe the future can be better than the past. Young in nationhood, free in conscience and accountable for how we live that freedom.

One and free speaks to something deeper, holding together despite difference. That freedom only endures when we are united by shared values, mutual responsibility, and a willingness to celebrate and reconcile together.

As Australia Day approaches, this tension and this hope feels more relevant than ever.

I fondly remember Australia Day celebrations were one of the best things when we immigrated from South Africa. They were opportunities where our entire church would gather to connect, pray and celebrate and people would bring their national food, share stories and reiterate how grateful we were to call this home.

The failed Voice Referendum highlighted that a mature nation can truly acknowledge past wrongs honestly, while still celebrating what has been built, protected, and passed on. We WANT to be ONE.

This is why celebrating Australia Day still matters. God is still working with and through us in this great South land and it's a beautiful reminder of what we are capable of when we choose to be both one and free.