Christians will pray that God provides Scotland with wise leadership - Michael Veitch

Expected it was not. It is true that rumours about her possible departure at some point had been circulating for a while, but the news that Scotland’s longest serving First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, was set to resign, when it came, was a genuine shock even among seasoned observers. She had been First Minister for more than eight years, and while there has been much leadership turnover - and at times turmoil - in Westminster, that has not been the case in Holyrood until now.

In terms of making sense of these things, a wise starting point are the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 13:1 that “the powers that be are ordained of God.” The Bible reminds us that political leaders have been put in place by God, whether they acknowledge the fact or not, and even if we do not always (or ever) agree with them. Rulers are established for the good of nations as a whole. At the most basic level, they are supposed to punish what is evil and commend what is good. No leader is perfect, of course. History is a chaotic picture. But the alternative of a society without leaders - with no law, order, and justice whatsoever hardly bears thinking about.

This column is not the place to discuss Ms Sturgeon’s political successes and failures, as our own individual politics shall undoubtedly colour our views. What we can say is that she has provided Scotland with a level of stable leadership. This was perhaps most apparent during the darkest days of the Covid pandemic when her steady handling of public information won her wide-ranging respect well beyond her own supporter base. Mindful of the situation in many countries of the world, stable government is not something we can take for granted, and so, we should thank God for his steady hand upon the life of our nation.

That said, more recent political developments at Holyrood have led to some significant turmoil. Most obviously, there has been great upheaval emanating from the passage of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill just before Christmas. While senior politicians very obviously attempted to keep a lid upon the issue as the Bill was debated in the run up to Christmas (even necessitating the cancelation of the annual Holyrood Christmas celebration), the wider issue of ‘self-identification’ has undeniably exploded in their faces during these early weeks of 2023. The conclusion of this matter remains, as yet, unforeseeable, but for now at least it remains off the statute books.

Michael Veitch, Parliamentary Officer, CARE for Scotland

Until recently, Nicola Sturgeon appeared unassailable and in near total control of the political agenda in Scotland. Now she has gone. This most dramatic of turn arounds underlines the truth that our time is short, and that ultimate control over our own life circumstances is always illusory. No political leader is ever in total command of their own destiny.

For now, there is a gaping vacuum at Holyrood. Christians will pray that God will provide Scotland with wise leadership for such a time as this, and for Nicola Sturgeon herself - that God would be pleased to humble and prosper her during her remaining time in office. As we ponder these things, we would do well to recite the timeless words of King David, speaking ultimately of Jesus Christ, the coming Saviour of the world, in Psalm 2:10-12, summoning all earthly leaders to acknowledge the ultimate authority of the Son of God:

"Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling. Kiss his son, or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him."

Michael Veitch (Parliamentary Officer, CARE for Scotland)