Some of you read my article in March where I shared some thoughts about how the Church is the focal point of God’s attention and activity. I proposed that periodically, we need hard times to jolt us out of the numbing slumber of comfort. For some, this might be a new way of thinking about the state of the nation, good and bad government, as well as the good fruit that can come from hardship.
As I write this, Canada is just days away from an extremely pivotal election and according to the polls, the outcome could still go either way. I’ve been fervently praying for our nation through this election period; I imagine you have too. But I’ve also been listening to God, trying to get His perspective on this season in the life of the Canadian church.
What is His plan?
And in that plan, what is our role? What are we responsible for?
Then as I’ve prayed, and as I’ve listened, I’ve been reading the Psalms and almost daily struck with their continual assurance -- that God is in control. What does that mean? Is His sovereignty so pronounced in this election that prayer isn’t necessary?
PRAYING FOR ELECTIONS
Praying for elections is a tricky thing. I’ve seen it turn very badly, becoming a tool the enemy uses to divide the Church in shocking ways. I think the first Trump term was a vivid example of this. There were Christians who were horrified that fellow believers could vote for him, and there were Christians who were just as alarmed that their brothers and sisters were opposing an (admittedly flawed) man, whom they believed God had raised up.
Meanwhile, there were Christians of all stripes who fell into the trap of placing way too much expectation on the government for the redemption of society, straying into idolatry of government and politics.
It became an utterly exhausting environment for Church leaders to try to navigate, many pastors burned out. Friends, there has to be a better way.
A BETTER WAY
I feel the Lord has shown me how we can walk out elections without becoming hyper-partisan, anxious, fearful, and divisive. Maybe you will find this approach helpful too.
Let’s begin with three foundational truths.
1) God is in control. While we are involved, He can still raise up or remove any earthly leader He desires. Jesus is the King of Kings, he literally rules the kings, governors, prime ministers, and presidents of the earth. Reflect on: Isaiah 46:9–10; Psalm 46:10; Psalm 115:3; Psalm 103:19; Psalm 33:10–11; Isaiah 14:24.
2) The epicentre of His attention is the Church. Governments are one of the tools that He uses to either bless the Church, or to test, mature, and sanctify her.
3) Jesus was born into Israel living under oppressive Roman rule. He didn’t focus on changing or reforming that secular government but put all His attention on proclaiming the gospel, raising up disciples, and completing the work of salvation.[1] He was supremely successful despite Rome’s attempts to thwart Him, and the fruit of His unstoppable gospel transformed Roman society from the inside out.
With these foundational truths settled, we posture ourselves in prayer for an election with the same type of tension that we walk in if we are suffering. We can use the example of being afflicted with a serious disease. We would walk the tension of praying for a miracle while leaning into Jesus as we wait and endure suffering. It’s a classic “now and not yet” opportunity, meaning, asking the fullness of the Kingdom to break in miraculously, while – at the same time-- living daily in the grace and provision of God when it doesn’t. Let’s now apply this posture to our election:
1) Ask for divine intervention. In the same way that you would ask the Lord for full, complete, and instant healing if you have a serious illness — ask for a righteous, wise, and skilled government to be elected. God does miracles, never stop asking.
2) Do everything that you can. In the same way that you follow your doctor’s instructions, take care of yourself, and do everything you can to support natural healing, when it comes to elections: vote, volunteer, donate, and be actively engaged in the practical ways that the Lord leads you to support the candidate or party that you believe is His best.
3) Trust. Like with a serious disease that you are enduring, part of the battle is to protect your heart from being overcome by anxiety if you experience worsening of symptoms or discouraging doctors reports. Similarly, in the election, trust that God can use both godly and ungodly governments to advance the kingdom as you hear the news broadcast the ups and downs of your party’s fortunes. He will never abandon you; He has a good plan.
4) Meet Jesus in the suffering. If the election doesn’t go the way you are praying for, just like if you didn’t get miraculously healed when you went up to receive prayer for the twentieth time, draw near to the Lord and let Him into your pain. There is a path of suffering that we all walk at various times in our lives, and when we suffer, although we don’t stop asking Christ to deliver us from our pain, struggle, injustice, oppression— at the same time, we encounter Him as the One acquainted with suffering (Isa 53:3). We can receive His grace and the sweetness of deeper intimacy with Him in that place.
“…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,” Phil 3:10
What this means is regardless of the outcome of the election, God is in control and always makes ALL things to work together for the good of those who love Him. (Rom 8:28). It may not be for the good of Canada’s economics, but for the good of those who love Him—that’s the Church. Now, this isn’t saying we should be passive, any more than we’d resign ourselves to the ravages of cancer without fighting it in prayer and in treatment. But we can be at peace, and we can be confident that God has a plan for, not just us, but for the whole Canadian Church.
And, of course, if the Church is revived, the life and blessing of God cascades into the nation. So let’s pray for the election— trust.
[1] This is not to say that our efforts to bring reformation to government are wrong-headed. All Christian reformation of society is fruit of the gospel growing and maturing in our society. A great read on this is Tom Holland’s “Dominion, How the Christian Revolution Remade the World” Basic Books, NY, 2021. Another excellent resource is Rodney Stark’s “The Triumph of Christianity, How the Jesus Movement Became the World’s Largest Religion” Harper Collins, NY, 2011
Have been praying and continue to do so.
Wise words Sara, thanks.