With National Day just around the corner, I’ve been reflecting over what God thinks about our nation and how believers, as both citizens of Heaven and Singapore, can unite God’s Kingdom vision with our nation’s vision – the pledge. 

A bit of background before we jump into it: I recited the pledge every morning assembly from primary school through to junior college (JC), but it never really sank in as anything more than a routine.

Then I became a Christian after JC, which was when I was introduced to phrases such “Antioch of Asia” – the prophecy of Singapore being a gospel light in the region – and began to believe that God had great plans for this little red dot in the world.

How can believers, as both citizens of Heaven and Singapore, unite God’s Kingdom vision with our nation’s vision?

Having recently learnt from a study of Acts what being an Antioch actually means, I started wondering why we seem to be so far from fulfilling that vision. Perhaps, before we can be a light to the nations, we need to start within our nation.

So how can we as believers reconcile the citizenship commitments of both heavenly and earthly domains? Both are important, for though we are merely passing through this earthly realm, we seek God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.

So let’s take a look into that, starting from the pledge: We, the citizens of Singapore, pledge ourselves as…

From a Christian view of the pledge, the basis of unity lies in Genesis 1:27 where humans were all made in God’s image.

As I thought about that verse, I reflected on unconscious prejudices that I may hold in my heart towards people of different races, languages and religions.

They may just be passing thoughts but it is important to recognise and remove these invisible boundaries that I’ve drawn.

As believers, we’re united in Jesus (Galatians 3:28) and in His Spirit that dwells in each of us (Ephesians 4:3-6). The body of Christ transcends the boundaries of race, ethnicity and language.

Wherever seen, this unity is a powerful testimony to the love of God.

So, living in a multi-religious society with people of differing values and political beliefs, believers must respect and love others – even those who disagree with us.

Let our love in this nation be patient and kind, one that does not dishonour others and is not self-seeking or easily angered. May our love protect, trust, hope, persevere and delight in truth (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

As a vessel of God’s love, I hope to reflect these qualities as I interact and converse with my fellow countrymen who see things differently.

Though I wasn’t eligible to vote in the General Election, I was definitely more informed and involved than I was 5 years ago.

I learnt about the importance of praying for our leaders while trusting in God’s sovereign plan for Singapore, and realised that a big part of building a democratic society involves electing leaders with good values and character.

May we continue to grow in godly wisdom and discernment for us to make choices for our country that align with God’s will.

Singaporeans care deeply about justice, and that is a wonderful thing. After all, justice is a key facet of God’s character and something He always desires to see.

The Bible tells us that we should seek justice and defend those who are oppressed (Isaiah 1:17). To that end, there are certainly many vulnerable groups in our society like migrant and low-wage workers that we can reach out to.

In living out this line in the pledge, who else can we speak out for and serve? Let us take action – not out of self-righteousness but to see righteousness in our land.

For all men are equally valued in Christ (Galatians 3:26-28). That is why we should treat one another with equal dignity, care and respect.

When we take a Christian perspective of the pledge, it challenges us to have a broader view of what happiness, prosperity and progress truly mean.  

“Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.”

That’s Psalm 1:1-3 from the Bible, which beautifully encapsulates the answer to how human life can flourish in joy (even better than the temporary state of happiness), prosperity and progress.

It is simply to love God and His Word, living as Jesus would. 

Talking about happiness, did you know that Singapore is ranked 32 out of 150 countries on the 2020 global happiness index? Seems positive doesn’t it?

However this ranking isn’t fixed because it is dependent on a yearly evaluation of a country’s quality of life.

In contrast to happiness, joy is a state that is independent of external circumstances. We are blessed when we have joy in God, who is unchanging, because nothing can take it away. 

Love God and His Word, living as Jesus would. 

To Christians, money isn’t all there is to prosperity. Yes, God may bless us with monetary wealth – but only so that we can give generously and compassionately to His people and His Kingdom.

Our spiritual bank accounts are what counts towards eternity – the treasures that each of us store up in heaven that neither moths, rust, nor thieves can take away (Matthew 6:19-20).

And finally, “progress” makes me think of bearing fruit in life.

How might my life be fruitful to the Kingdom? When I die, will God say I spent my time well? If we take a hard look at how our lives are progressing, we may find we need to shift our focus in many areas back to God.

Ultimately, I believe that true progress for a nation is found in aligning to God’s will and growing in kingdom values as a society – love, holiness, and truth.

So the next time we recite the pledge (on National Day probably), I pray that we can all do so with sincere conviction in our hearts as we reaffirm our allegiance to Singapore and to God in Heaven.

Finally, if you’ve resonated with what I’ve shared, would you say a prayer for Singapore with me?

Dear Heavenly Father, You are Lord over Singapore. And I know that blessed shall be my nation when You are enthroned in our land.

Strengthen Your body of believers in Singapore so that we might be salt and light and reflect Your ways in our lives. May Your Spirit unite us and empower us to point people to You.

Bless our leaders as we submit to them and lift them up to You in prayer. Let godly justice and equality be anchors of our land. May we find such joy in obeying You, prosper in truth and love and receive breakthroughs in our spiritual journey as a nation and as individuals.

Guide us as we build a solid foundation upon You, shining like a city on a hill first within our nation – then to the nations.

In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.