Our nation is more deeply divided than at any time in our recent history. How are we meant to pray about Brexit?
In the 2016 referendum 52% voted Leave and 48% voted Remain. In 2019 there appears to be no consensus about what Brexit means. Some want to walk away without any compromises; others prefer to accept Mrs May’s deal: still others want to revoke article 50. Normally politics is about finding an outcome that gives people some of what they want – but no one gets everything. In Britain today, compromise has come to mean betrayal.
We should recognise that this is not an issue peculiar to our time. Every 5th November we remember the Gunpowder Plot. That was a prelude to the Civil War and the execution of the King. So things have been worse!
The Old Testament gives us examples of fierce divisions in Israel. If you have been following The Bible Course you will know that Jeroboam and Rehoboam divided God’s people into two nations – Israel in the North and Judah in the South.
So how can we pray?
Martyn Eden suggests four ways. Pray that:
- our politicians put the wellbeing of the nation before party interests
- they put principle before personal ambition
- we all seek the welfare of our neighbour before our own
- we all pray for God’s will to be done before we pontificate about anything.