In the UK many bemoan the nation’s persistent abandoning of Biblical standards. I understand that. Our nation has been shaped over centuries by men and women committed to Biblical standards. There has been a huge Christian influence in previous generations. For example, key leaders and innovators during the Industrial Revolution were Christians, as were social revolutionaries in the 19^th century.

My observation is that Christians tended to withdraw from public spheres after World War 1. This seems to have accelerated secularisation. That withdrawal is a cause of secularisation, not merely a reaction to it.

In his seminal book ‘Issues facing Christians today,’ John Stott provides some detail concerning this withdrawal from public life. He describes ‘the great reversal,’ whose roots pre-dated the first World War. He suggests five main factors (each of which are worthy of further consideration):

• The fight against theological liberalism which neglected the preaching of the gospel;
• The rejection by evangelicals of ‘the social gospel;’
• The impact of war;
• The influence of premillennialism; and
• The rise of the middle classes. Stott suggests Christians diluted their Christian character with this new class culture.

Tom Wright in Virtue Reborn comments: ‘The Western world has supposed, for two hundred years and more, that splitting off questions of social justice from questions of God and faith would give us a more just society. The revolutions, totalitarianisms, and all-out way of that period have proved us wrong. But to put God and human justice back together again will require a sustained effort, not only by individuals but by the church as a whole, developing the corporate virtues of justice – work that will become habits of the church’s heart and will appeal to the conscience of the wider world.’

Whilst I do not welcome the gradual advance of secularisation, there is no assumption in the NT that Christians will inhabit a God-fearing society. In fact, most of the Bible is written in times or situations where those in authority and influence did not follow the ways of the God of Israel, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The history of the early Church in Acts took place largely within the Roman empire. And those who took the gospel beyond the Roman empire merely met different forms of hostility. Until the conversion of Constantine, who claimed to have met Christ, and ushered in a regime supportive of Christians, there were a series of persecutions against Christians throughout the Roman empire. For centuries since, Christians have lived in similarly hostile environments.

In our day persecution of Christians takes many forms. Open persecution, loss of employment, martyrdom, continue to occur. Yet, in western countries, ‘persecution’ is more subtle, for example through the growth of secularisation. The call to Christians is to remain faithful to Christ in any and all circumstances.

The UK is not a ‘Christian country,’ and perhaps never was. Although Israel was intended to be a theocracy (a pre-Christian equivalent?), it rarely lived up to that standard. Often in the OT accounts, those who were faithful to the God of Israel found themselves in a small minority in Israel and subject to severe persecution.

In an individualistic world, it is common to hear of people who are ‘spiritual but not religious,’ or who prefer to ‘seek the divine’ personally rather than identify with ‘organised religion.’

Old Testament scriptures describe David, the man after God’s own heart, and his establishing a pattern of regular and corporate worship in Israel. In contrast therefore to our prevailing culture, scripture teaches that worship is to be regular and corporate, rather than solely individual and random.

1 Chronicles 6 outlines elements of this worship:

• Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God. (1 Chr 16.6)
• Asaph and his associates had regular responsibilities, in fact each day. (1 Chr 16.37-38)
• David left Zadok the priest and his fellow priests before the tabernacle of the Lord at the high place in Gibeon to present burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of burnt offering regularly, morning and evening, in accordance with everything written in the Law of the Lord, which he had given Israel. (1 Chr 16.39-40)
• Heman and Jeduthun were responsible for the musical element of the worship. This was something which was previously mentioned only in passing. David, the sweet psalmist of Israel, incorporated music into national worship in a substantial way. (1 Chr 16.41)

David delegated this to gifted and godly people.

This was essential for a strong nation. And essential to promote truth and righteousness.

The New Testament also refers to Christians regularly gathering – but that is for another day!

I am constantly challenged to pray ‘better.’  So I have started to use these prayers recorded in Paul’s letters.

After further thought I noticed the aims of Paul’s prayers. Whilst I continue to pray concerning circumstances for others as well as for myself, there are some big themes here.

‘I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and the incomparably great power for us who believe.’

‘I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.’

‘I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of the fullness of God.’

‘And this is my prayer, that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God.’

‘We have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 

And we pray this is order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way, bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience.’