An open letter to Boris: Thank you for your hard work – but we still need God to help us through coronavirus calamity

You have experienced this sickness for yourself and I trust you will be restored to full health and strength soon, but already over one thousand four hundred precious lives have been lost and the scene grows more bleak every day.

I am mindful that right across our United Kingdom many are feeling distraught, not having the opportunity to hold the hand of a loved one as they passed away or able to bid them a last goodbye. But I pay tribute to the love and professionalism displayed by our excellent health service staff whose sterling work has been far beyond the call of duty.

No-one knows where the virus and death will strike next or whose family will be touched, but we know this crisis is far from over. Your advice to the nation has been stern yet sympathetic, recognising that the consequences of foolishly dismissing your warnings will be very serious indeed.

However, Prime Minister, I have noted in all the pronouncements made seeking to avert this calamity upon our nation, there has been no mention of God. A friend of mine reminded me that during the Second World War, His Majesty King George Vl requested that Sunday, May 26, 1940 should be observed as a National Day of Prayer.

At that time we faced a great calamity, but in a stirring broadcast, the King called the people of Britain and of the Empire to commit their cause to God. It is recorded, I believe, together with members of the Cabinet, the King attended Westminster Abbey, whilst millions of his subjects in all parts of the Commonwealth and Empire flocked to the churches to join in prayer. In an article in the Daily Telegraph written by C. B. Mortlock it was stated that ‘the prayers of the nation were answered’ and that ‘the God of hosts Himself had supported the valiant men of the British Expeditionary Force’.

Sir, I appreciate we cannot, under your appropriate lockdown rules, join together in open worship but the crisis is of such gravity, it must be time for us as a nation to cry out unto God for His guidance and protection. Across our land we need to humble ourselves before God and look to Him to be our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

I am reminded that every day, both in the House of Commons and in our House, the House of Lord’s, we commence with the reading of God’s Word and prayer. We daily acknowledge the Sovereignty of God in the affairs of men, and in those prayers, we ask for Divine guidance in all our deliberations. But, where is God now in our thinking or planning?

Prime Minister, I pray that you will know particular guidance in this matter, but I earnestly implore you to give careful consideration to my humble plea and call the nation to pray. I acknowledge you have often confidently spoken of us all together defeating this great threat to our nation’s health and prosperity, but God reminds us that: ‘Without Me ye can do nothing’.

With God’s guidance and protection and your leadership as Prime Minister I believe that our nation will come through this deep valley.

William McCrea is a retired Free Presbyterian Minister, formerly as a DUP MLA and MP, and in 2018, he entered the House of Lords as Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown. This letter was sent to the Prime Minister last week, and has just now been made public.