The following prayer for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and all newly elected and re-elected Members of Parliament was written by Pastor John Mahaffey and shared with our congregation on Sunday, October 27, following the 2019 federal election.

Our Father in heaven, last Sunday we prayed that you would guide Canadians from coast to coast to coast as they cast their ballots for the 43rd parliament of Canada. Today we desire to obey your command to “pray for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”

We bring before your throne our Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, and all the 156 members of his government. They have been charged with a great responsibility and they are all in need of your guidance and assistance whether they will acknowledge this truth or not.

We pray earnestly for Mr. Trudeau, that you will endow him with “the wisdom that comes from above that is pure, peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” We pray again, as we did four years ago, that you will assist him with your Spirit of Counsel and fortitude. Help him not to act in haste or be driven by expediency. In this endowment of wisdom, we pray that he will be guided to surround himself with good advisers and staff who are not bound by the prejudices of partisanship but understanding and sensitive to the broad and diverse opinions and aspirations of all the people in all the regions and provinces of our country that make up the vast and beautiful mosaic of the Canadian family. May Mr. Trudeau understand that “wisdom is to be found in a multitude of counselors.” Guide him, we pray, in the formation of his cabinet. Grant him the humility to listen carefully to those with whom he disagrees and to learn from them.

In every part of his vast responsibilities grant Mr. Trudeau wisdom. Do the same we pray for everyone he chooses to serve in his cabinet. Help them to deal with the challenges of a constantly changing economy, the great needs of First Nations communities, the international threats to our safety, security and the defense of our nation, the perplexing ethical issues of our day, and the important decisions that must be made every day.

Father, this election has revealed to us the deep divisions and the growing polarization that exists within our country. Our national unity is threatened. We see regions pitted against other regions and the irresponsible rhetoric both before this election and during it has only fanned further into flame these divisions as a growing number of Canadians feel vilified and disenfranchised from the inclusion our Prime Minister so passionately espouses. Teach our leaders, Holy Father, to speak and behave in ways that will bring about reconciliation and strengthen the unity of our country.

We pray again that during the time you have allotted this administration to serve that just policies will be enacted to benefit the weak and the helpless, the suffering and the disenfranchised, refugees and immigrants, the unborn and the ailing. O Righteous Father, mold the heart of our Prime Minister and all our members of Parliament to see the dignity and sanctity of every human life, from the moment of conception until natural death.

We pray not only for just administration, but also for spiritual transformation for all elected to serve us. We do this because your Word says that “this is good and pleases God our savior, who wants all people – including those in authority – to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” Create, O God, we pray, in all of the 338 Members of Parliament a spiritual appetite to know the will of God and the courage to follow it.

Grant, O Lord, to all of them the understanding that the real source of their mandate to serve has not been given to them by the political parties they are members of or by the electorate but by you, the Living God. And with this understanding cause them all to fear you, to seek you, and to find you in the person of your Son, Jesus Christ.

As the next parliament convenes, we pray our opposition parties, all 181 MPs, will excel in the task of constructively holding the government to account. And we further ask that there will exist among government and opposition MPs a spirit of brotherly cooperation that is guided by mutual respect of each other and the opinions they express. In the heat of debate may their speech be seasoned with salt and may they be guided by principles higher than self-seeking and the self-centered desires to win arguments and embarrass their opponents. We pray, merciful Father, that you will grant us a parliament of which we can be proud.

Sovereign Lord, your holy Word assures us that “the king’s heart is a stream of water in the hands of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will" (Proverbs 21:1). It is with faith in this promise that we look to you to bless our Prime Minister’s leadership.

We ask all of these things realizing that as a nation we are not deserving of any of these desired blessings, but confident in your mercy and trusting in your love. Through Jesus Christ, the King of King and the Lord of lords.

Amen.