Britain needs not only a policy and a vision, but a man who knows how to stand in the gap and to repair the damage caused by secularism.

‘I sought for a man among them, that should repair the hedge and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none’ Ezk 22:30.

This biblical warning reminds us of the legendary story of the Dutch boy who put his finger in the hole of a dyke to stop the water bursting through.

Those in positions of leadership in Britain have a great responsibility to use their opportunities to repair the damage from secularism.

More than twenty years ago, I used to speculate publicly what would happen to Britain when the last Christian board member retired from the major corporations running this country, or the last Christian teacher retired from the school staff room, as each solitary, last-stand Christian retired, who acted as the Christian conscience of the various decision-making bodies in our land.

Twenty years later we can see the result. Christian standards have and are being overthrown by aggressive secularism.

Once the dam breaks, the gap becomes bigger and bigger and the repair becomes more difficult. This is happening in front of our eyes. We need someone to stand in this gap and rally the people to repair the damage. Scotland needs a Reformer.

Such a Reformer will stand and act as the role model that other Christians so much need. In our day Christians tend to retreat before the onslaught, giving way to peer group pressure, possibly because they have so few role models to follow. ‘Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand’ Eph 6:13.

We want a Christian leader who can see the vision, speak to the situation and rally people around him who will in their turn also stand and who will begin to repair the damage. Nehemiah did this when he rallied the people to repair the walls of Jerusalem in record time.

Having done so, we need to educate a new generation to stand instead of losing what is gained. We need ‘the children of Issachar, who had an understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do’ 1Ch 12:32.