Here in the UK as in many other parts of the world, Christians led the way with universal education and healthcare. As the historian Tom Holland and many others have recognised, so many of the laws and values that we now take for granted have their roots firmly in the Christian faith.

The English legal system has a rich Christian heritage. This tradition is embodied, among other things, in the laws of King Alfred the Great, the creation of the Magna Carta, and the courts of equity.  However, it does appear from a distance that the UK has lost its way and abandoned God.

After Christianity, the religions with the most adherents are Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism, Buddhism, modern paganism, and the Bahá'í Faith. There are also organisations promoting irreligion, including humanism and atheism. According to the 2021 census, Shamanism is the fastest growing religion in England!

It is sad that a country which once sent out missionaries to other parts of the world, has now become the mission field itself!

Here in verse 22, the Israelites are acknowledging that:

‘For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; it is he who will save us.’

Surely, only when a nation recognises and allows God to be God, will it prosper?

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Application:

We need to let God be God.  Let us recognise that He is judge and King, and we need to follow His laws and guidance for our lives.  It is only God who can save us!

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, please fill me anew this day, that I may have the strength to surrender to God and adhere to His laws and precepts for my life, for His glory. Amen.