On His Majesty's Service

 

July 2024

Dear Friends

On 4^th July we have an opportunity to elect Members to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.  Some of those who are elected will know that they should serve those who elected them.  Some may talk more about wanting to serve the cause of justice.  And some (secretly) may be hoping that their time as an MP will serve their own egos and personal ambitions.  But ultimately, they all have a responsibility to the Lord Jesus Christ, even those who think they have no connection to him. 

Why do I say that?  2000 years ago, the apostle Paul stood in the centre of Athens, surrounded by grand public buildings and temples to various gods, and declared that the God who created each Athenian had “set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed.  He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).  Each citizen would need to give an account of his life to the risen Jesus.  And rulers would certainly not escape this reckoning, quite the reverse, for Jesus had said, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded.”  (Luke 12:48)

Very few of those who lived within the Roman Empire had any role in choosing who governed them; they couldn’t vote to change their emperor!  But Paul did urge them to pray “for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”  (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

Paul’s prayer tells our MPs what they should do – they should aim that those who are godly and holy (by Jesus’ standards) will be able to live peaceful and quiet lives.  And they should aim for those who reject such goodness and purity to not have peace and quiet.

This prayer also reminds us how the Bible will shape us as voters – teaching us not to vote for those who just give us what we want in life, but to look for candidates who will make life peaceful for anyone who obeys God’s laws.  And not forgetting to keep praying “for kings and all those in authority”.

Sincerely

Graham Burrows