From the Minister... 

Dear friends

Although we’re only three quarters of our way through 2024, an idea is already emerging of what the highlights will be when historians assess the significance of the year. Elections often prove to be turning points and in recent months we’ve witnessed two important ones: our own General Election in the UK which delivered a decisive victory for Labour and parliamentary polls in France which have plunged the country into a political stalemate.

Before the year is out, other important decisions will be made by voters. The result of the US Presidential election will be watched closely across the globe, especially in Ukraine. And many of us in the SBC family will also be keeping an eye on the Ghanaian general election taking place on 7 December.  

Over the years that I’ve spent in several church families, I’ve noticed a certain pattern which plays itself out in the language we use in the pulpit and in our private conversations when occasions like these arise. Before an election we will pray that God’s will is done, and afterwards, in spite of whatever disappointment or satisfaction we feel at the result, we will speak of how God has been in control.

There are moments when I wonder how helpful this language is. At times, it has struck me as a way to avoid a proper conversation on politics. We know that the church is made up of people with different political views and talking of results in such generalities reduces the risk of offending one another. On other occasions, as we come to terms with an event that seems especially unpalatable, I’ve been left with a feeling that we speak of ‘God on his throne’ to convince ourselves that all will be well, but that we’re still left with nagging doubts about what’s occurred. For example, how do we reconcile this language with the rise of rulers who are egregiously evil and likely to exploit or attack the vulnerable, the likes of a Hitler in Germany or a Putin in Russia? Let me suggest some approaches that might be helpful, both in terms of how we think about these events and what we can do.

We need to acknowledge that our view of historical events will be influenced by our understanding of ‘providence’, a term theologians use to speak of the extent to which God plans and controls what happens in the world. Genesis presents us with the picture of a God who is all-powerful at the moment of creation, but who gives free will to his creatures. He may long for us to return the love he gives but does not make us do so. Love which is compelled is not true love, and so creation involves a risk on the part of God, that his best purposes may not be embraced by those he has made.

We all know that there are occasions in history when crowds are swept along by the charisma of a strong and persuasive leader or by a captivating ideology. Scripture itself testifies to such moments and suggests that there are times when God’s power to act will be constrained by powers which resist him. In Daniel 10, for example, the prophet is told by a heavenly messenger that the answer to his prayers has been delayed because of the resistance of ‘the prince of the Persian kingdom’. In the New Testament, the story of Jesus’ crucifixion is, in part, that of a crowd swept along in a murderous rage. At that moment, God is present in the form of the innocent and powerless victim and not those who are directing events.

And then there’s the question of what we can do. 

Firstly, we can pray. When we daily bring our requests before God, it’s easy to limit their scope to that which is happening in our local lives: for our family, our health, events taking place at SBC. Can we grasp that just as God can intervene in our personal circumstances, so also can he intervene in the events of history? Let’s pray with conviction for God to act in our world, asking that his will be done and remembering how Scripture describes his character and intentions. Let’s pray that people would not be held captive by violent or sinister agendas. Let’s pray for peace and justice, for the protection of the vulnerable, for those who are likely to suffer and lose out because a new regime might use its power to oppress them. 

Secondly, let’s be aware of what’s going on in our own hearts as we watch the news and respond to what we see and hear. In what ways do we find our own attitudes changing? Are we placing our confidence in God or in the solutions or slogans sold to us by politicians? Do we find ourselves inclined to be more trusting or suspicious of others, especially the marginalised in our society? As you look back on 2024, will you be aware of not just what happened in the world but also in your inner life? And will you be able to say with confidence that God’s will was done there?

Wishing you God’s grace and peace