All through Scripture, God asks us to raise our voices in prayer to him for ourselves, for others, for those in government. In James 1:16 we are told that “the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” What an encouragement to pray!
Governance matters greatly. In fact, we see in Genesis 1:28 that the principle of government was established by God for the proper stewardship of creation.
An important responsibility for God’s people at all times and in all places is to pray for those who have the responsibility to govern, whether they be followers of Christ or not, since good governance is vital for the welfare of all citizens.
The apostle Paul who lived in a time and place under the harsh domination of the Roman Emperor, instructed all Christians to pray for those in authority:
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (I Timothy 2:1-4)
Considering Paul’s words above, we remember that the purposes of God for his people this side of Christ’s return include being on mission for the spread of the gospel so that all people may come to a knowledge of the truth found in the gospel of Christ.
In the June issue of Harvest Partner, we included an article entitled “Good Government is God’s Idea” and offered suggestions for prayer drawn from Scripture to help us pray. We offer them again here.
Let’s pray for governments across Canada…
- That God’s kingdom would come, and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven—in our nation, province, community and church.
- That those in positions of governance would realize that ethical and accountable governance of people and creation is a sacred trust.
- That people in government would be influenced by godly principles in such a way that they would be inclined to promote godly life-giving values in society.
- That government leaders would act justly, love mercy and humbly walk with God.
- That those serving in government will make no decisions that would impede the advancement of the church’s mission and the spread of the gospel of Christ.
- That those who are believers, will not become weary in well-doing or be swayed away from godly principles.
- That God would place people in proximity to decision-makers, whether as assistants or advisors, to speak a clear word of wisdom that would influence them to do right. We remember that God placed Joseph in Pharaoh’s house and Esther in the king’s palace to save multitudes.
- That decision-makers and legislators would not pass laws that would impede the religious freedoms that Canada has enjoyed historically.
As I write, a proposed amendment to the criminal code of Canada regarding Bill C-9 is being processed by the government of Canada. The bill and the amendment target a range of religious freedoms that would affect the future of the church in Canada. The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada is encouraging Christians to register their concern with their members of parliament. To assist this process, they have prepared resources. Access these resources on the Evangelical Fellowship website. They also provide a guide for ideas on what you can do. At the bottom of that guide is a sample email you can use to communicate your concern to your Member of Parliament.
I invite you to order quantities of our Prayer Map of Canada and pass them along to friends and church leaders. You can order online, or call our office at 1-800-265-7326.
May God answer the prayers of his people and preserve religious freedoms in Canada.
