Let There Be Peace On Earth

As you know, the Governor General permitted the Prime Minister to prorogue Parliament this week. This eliminates the possibility of a confidence vote on Monday and the political scene has become suddenly much more quiet and calm. Strong feelings about what happened in Ottawa last week remain under the surface, but as most people move on to Christmas parties and shopping, there's a peace that has settled on the entire situation.

We know that literally tens of thousands of people across Canada were praying for the Governor General, the PM, party leaders and MPS from all parties. Our request as we prayed was that God would move upon the hearts of the key decision makers and direct them through the voices of advisors and the wisdom that God gives to do what was best for Canada. Without being partisan, I believe that God answered that prayer by providing stable political leadership for our country at this time.

I read something this week that confirmed what I've believed for a long time. God is committed to good government because He loves people. Government provides protection so the people can live, work, play and prosper in safety. Good government is responsible, respectful, prudent and gracious. It champions the cause of the hurting and oppressed while at the same time creating a climate that encourages prosperity and the ability to pursue a bright future. Good government walks with humility and in the fear of God.

One of my disappointments this week was that no one demonstrated the kind of leadership necessary for our nation at the time. The focus was entirely on who who would hold power, form government, be in Cabinet and possibly get a seat in the senate. This falls far short of what we need at this time. To borrow a phrase from President Elect Obama, it really is time to reach across the aisles and work together for the sake of our nation today and for many years to come.

Over the next few weeks, my prayer will be that a genuine transformation of hearts will take place among the key players on Parliament Hill and that genuine leadership would replace the quest for power and control. I will be praying that repentance will replace rhetoric so that God's grace and mercy will flow to our nation in unprecedented ways.