The Canadian Election and the City of Man

Last week I wrote that it is the obligation of every Canadian to pray for our government and our leaders.

Since we now know that the new Prime Minister is Justin Trudeau, let’s commit ourselves – as long as he is our Prime Minister – to faithfully stand on his behalf before our heavenly Father. Let us ask God to endow him with wisdom so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives in reverence to God. Let us also pray for his salvation, and the salvation of his family. Let us express our love for him, by mentioning him before our heavenly Father constantly.

But in this election, as in all elections, we remember that no government is perfect. No government is ultimately righteous until that one government of Christ is finally introduced.

And with this new government, we are seeing several troubling indicators of what is to come. The first is that no Member of Parliament in the Liberal Party may favour a pro-life position. In that sense, all prophetic voices for the plight of the unborn have been banished. Secondly, as many of us will remember, before this last sitting parliament was dissolved, the Supreme Court of Canada struck down a law prohibiting euthanasia. We are left to wonder whether any law will now be written, and what the implication of having no law governing euthanasia might mean.

Christians, like most Canadians, want the new government to succeed and lead to a prosperous future. We care about peace and security. We care about the future of our children. We want to see our freedoms protected and defended. And we pray that Prime Minister Trudeau would be God’s servant in providing us with these matters.

But we also remember the words that come from Hebrews 11:10, in which Abraham’s journey from Ur of the Chaldeans is recounted: “For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” And then, several verses later, we read: “But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.” (Hebrews 11:16)

We must remember these words at every election time.

Canada is not our eternal home. The foundations of this land are rooted in the ancient city of man, which began when Cain established the city of Enoch in Genesis 4. Even though the city of man is notable for its culture, arts, technological advancements and even its imagination, still, here we have no lasting city. The city of man breathes out rebellion against God, and is destined for destruction.

And so, we as Christians must view our role as a prophetic one:

• We pray for our nation and our government, even as we denounce the wickedness found in it.
• We love our nation and earnestly plead for our government, even while we are aware that this government has not set its affections on the things of God.
• Above all, we remember that our role is to be salt and light, providing a gospel message that invites people in our land to turn from sin and find the marvelous grace of God expressed in the cross of Jesus.

We therefore, have become the best supporters and the worst critics of our land at the same time. Let’s never give up our role!