The tide of the war turned in the Allies’ favour in 1942 and as the battle of El Alamein raged, Winston Churchill told a crowd of three thousand delegates that he detected God at work.

“I have a feeling that sometimes some Guiding Hand has interfered,” he said. “I have a feeling that we have a Guardian because we have a great Cause and we shall have that Guardian so long as we serve that great Cause faithfully.”

As I read those words, I can’t help thinking that King David was saying something similar when he wrote Psalm 23 although he chose to use the image of a ‘Shepherd’.

At this time of national remembrance, it’s good to be reminded that we can have a personal relationship with God and to know His blessings even in the darkest of times. David tells us that He can ‘restore our souls’ for example. That is, He can bring healing and renewal to the weariest of hearts and spirits. He can give us all we need to keep on going because He has promised that everything that happens to His people will work out for their good, and that they can look forward to the day when war and death will vanish like the morning mist.

We can be given divine guidance too. Winston Churchill knew this better than many because he sensed he would lead this country at a time of great need when he was in his teens. There was a period in his life when this seemed an absurd prospect, but God had his plans and Churchill became Prime Minister in 1940.

But it’s important to know that God will only guide us ‘in paths of righteousness’, that is to live His way. This will mean that we will treat one another with kindness, understanding and patience for example, as well as care for the poor, seek to rid this world of injustice and be committed peacemakers.

He expects us to forgive others. Martin (not his real name) discovered some years ago when he joined us in a prayer meeting where a Korean pastor gave us a very simple explanation the Lord’s prayer. When he had finished Martin stood up and told everyone that God had just changed his life that night. It seems that he had never been able to forgive the Japanese because of all he had experienced in World War II, but something had ‘snapped’ and he had just done it!

Churchill seems to have understood something of this which is why he said we would have that Guardian “so long as we serve that Cause faithfully.” He was right. This is why we need to pray for our nation and especially for those who lead us. King Solomon once declared that it is ‘godliness’ that makes a nation great. Can you think of a greater cause than that?