Australia’s Largest Christian News Site

“I believe in miracles!” It was one of the first things our Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, said when claiming victory in the recent federal election. Somewhat appropriately, before leading in public prayer at the Hillsong Conference earlier this week, Ps Brian Houston asked him to elaborate on what he meant. And Prime Minister Morrison’s answer was as simple as it was profound:

A miracle is what the world can’t see but what God can see.

Now, some might want to quibble with this particular definition—and there is obviously more that could be said—but there can be no doubt that there was something supernatural behind not only Mr Shorten losing the ‘unlosable election’ but that there was even a swing towards the Coalition. (see Daniel 4:17) Because as all the pollsters so confidently predicted, Australia stood upon the progressive precipice of having the most socially left-leaning Labor government in our nation’s history.

Like many thousands of Christians around the country, I personally felt a deep conviction to both fast and pray in crying out to God for mercy. Indeed, tennis legend Margaret Court AO MBE rightly urged believers across our land to seek the LORD in prayer with the words of 2 Chronicles 7:14:

If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

How remarkable that in response we should not only see our Heavenly Father do “immeasurably more than we could ever imagine or ask” (Eph. 3:20) but that the Prime Minister would open this country’s largest single Christian gathering in prayer? And not simply to pray for himself, or what he has been given, but to ask for God’s blessing to be upon:

• All the military veterans who are carrying so many psychological—and literal—wounds.
• The curse of youth suicide that is so prevalent throughout some many different social groups.
• For everyone across the nation suffering from intellectual and physical disabilities.
• That there would be rain to break the drought in our rural communities.
• And finally, that the love of Christ would be manifested throughout the churches of Australia.

I’m nearly fifty years old. And while I’ve witnessed many of our nation’s leaders attend various church services, I’ve never actually heard any of them personally pray. This fact alone should make us stop and take note of just what a remarkable thing the LORD has done.

Of course, Scott Morrison is not perfect. And it’s pretty safe to say that he would be the first to admit that he is not. (As a Presbyterian minister I often tell people that if they find a perfect church then should immediately leave, lest they spoil it!) But because he is a child of God… because he has received the forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection… and because the Holy Spirit now lives in him, how much more should we re-commit ourselves in upholding the Prime Minister in prayer? Regardless of which political party we voted for!

In 1 Timothy chapter 2 the apostle Paul exhorts believers everywhere to pray for those in authority so that “we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” In short, we are commanded to pray because it will benefit us. But we can be confident to pray because as Mrs Jenny Morrison also said at the conference, “Nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37).

All of which is to say, by the grace of God, we now have a Prime Minister who is not ashamed to publicly pray and own the name of Jesus Christ. The only question is, will we be a people of prayer ourselves? The unbelieving world will scoff and mock at the mere mention of this. But because we are those who walk by faith, we have the unique privilege of seeing what God Himself sees and others do not. For we believe that many a miracle is wrought by prayer.