IT WAS SEEN AS DESPERATION in the face of divorce. As it looked for a short and alarming time as if Britain was about to fracture, key Christian leaders sent out urgent calls to prayer which were widely circulated.
Part of a move to destroy Britain
David Hathaway saw it as part of a dark spiritual plot to destroy Britain: “Scotland will have no viable currency – no defence system – and with a population of under 5 million – no international voice. Britain will lose her power and influence, because much of our defence is dependent on Scotland.
“The one nation which God has so mightily used over the past 300 years will become divided and unable to fulfil the necessary part which God has called us to play as a united people in these last desperate days.”
Division and divorce are our key issues
David Tidy of Prayer Warriors International wrote: “We as the United Kingdom have been very divisive over the years, in dividing up the land and the people in other lands, sometimes stealing the land from the native population. Then we sent the controlling power of colonisation and freemasonry, which I have found to be the most divisive spirit of all.
“The Church has been divided, governments have been divided, families have been divided and hearts are divided towards our great and loving God. If we can confess the sin of this nation of being divisive and repent, God may relent and step in to break this divisive spirit’s control over our nation.”
Call to the nation
Dr Jonathan Oloyede, Convenor of the National Day of Prayer event, said, “As the daily news on our TV screens continue unabated with
horrifying tales of violence, murders, wars, terror and fear, I sense in my spirit the need to call the Church nationally to the altar of prayer.”
And from a Scottish ‘ex-pat’ living in Sussex:
“Westminster has been shaken to the core – and the English are pretty cross, too…”
Scottish ex-pat Carole Woodiwis reflects – from Sussex – on her country’s recent referendum
I believe that the Lord has been shaking up the nation and where Westminster has remained complacent, the Scottish referendum finally shook the politicians awake.
Starting with the Westminster expenses scandal through the Stafford NHS debacle, Saville-gate affecting the BBC, Pleb-gate affecting the police, the hacking scandals and others ending up with the Rotherham child abuse horror, I believe that the Lord has been lifting up the stones and showing us what has been underneath in the nation, throughout our public life.
The scale of the registration for the Scottish vote, 97%, and the extraordinary turn-out of 85%, really spoke to politicians across the world. (To the extent that Russians and Ukrainians announced that there was foul play!) The upsurge of the Yes campaign had the senior politicians and Labour party hurtle north, and we were all on the edge of our seats, was she really going to go? Westminster will never be the same, it has been shaken, and I believe God has used this referendum in our national and political life. It is a warning. Things are not right in the land and Westminster must take note.
Late in the campaign it dawned on the English that if Scotland really went, it might not be too good for England. Eyes popped as a third of the UK land mass was graphically removed on the TV screens.
Watching the comment programmes in the lead up to the vote, there were pictures from all over Scotland. From the western sunsets over the islands and sea lochs to the peaceful river estuaries in the east, the wild mountains where the eagles fly, the sparkling mountain water, full of oxygen, the hydroelectric schemes tumbling down the mountain sides, north sea oil and the sea all round the coast with the fishing grounds, white horses fleeing and splashing against the rocks and light houses. Scotland is a treasure. And she was nearly lost.
And what is the fall out. Well, the English seem pretty cross. Many didn’t know much about Scotland or her land mass. There are a lot of grumbly comments floating around.
There may be hard work ahead for Scotland. I do believe she could be worse off. The Vow made by the three party leaders (and it was material in the vote), is taking a different form with each party, offering increased, but possibly unworkable devolution.
The Lord was very gracious, the Yes people were not crushed but vindicated, yet the margin was conclusive. Scotland is safe. A mighty thunderstorm raged over London while the Scottish votes were being counted, a type of judgement. May Westminster and all of us respond.