Praying for Ukraine – #58

I had another blog set to launch tonight, but it just didn’t feel right. I’m not really sure what my point of this post is other than to spur you to pray for Ukraine, pray for those who are hurting from this, pray for peace around the globe, pray for healing that can only be brought through Christ. 

You could hear it on the video before you could see it. Rumbling from the sky. Within seconds though, I watched in fear as a Russian aircraft came blaring from the sky, soar towards the woman’s home and release a missile. The building beside her blew up. Immediately, the sound of her child screaming in terror was all you heard on the video and then you see her running through her home (or whatever building she is in). The video ended there. 

Her terror did not.

I am sure there will be thousands more videos like this surfacing over the next few days. What is happening in Ukraine is unexplainably horrific and inhumane.

It is evil. 

It makes me feel anger in the depths of my soul. Innocent lives are being ripped apart and lost for a reason that is no reason at all. 

It is tragic. 

We rarely watch the news in our house. Years ago I recognized that fear quickly rose within me when I had the news on so I stopped watching it. I have made efforts, though, to keep up with things going on in my town, my state, my country and the world, but I make sure it is in small doses. Today though, I had trouble pulling my eyes away from the screen. 

Innocent people just waiting to see what would happen. Begging for help. What will happen to their country? Will they get out? Will they survive? 

This afternoon my children came home saying that they had prayed for classmate’s families who lived in Ukraine. My extended family has family living in Ukraine. We are all closer connected than we think. 

And then my daughter asked what a safe house was. 

My heart broke because while I had to only explain what a safe house was to her, it was only an explanation. It was all in her mind’s eye. In that moment, it felt like such a luxury that she didn’t know what it was. But the children in Ukraine know what it actually is. Some may be in their safe house right now. Some may not make it to theirs. 

For those in Ukraine, I’m so sorry. I am so sorry that evil has come knocking on your door and that you have to endure through it. I am sorry that your children are confused, having to live through fear that no child, or human, should ever have to live through. I am sorry that you are living in the unknown of what tomorrow will look like. 

And I am praying. All day I have been praying, and I know so many around the globe are praying as well. 

Maybe those words don’t seem like much, but it is the most important thing for us to do. When evil takes place, God doesn’t just turn His back. He is with you in the fear. He is with you in the pain. He is with you in the uncertainty. Reach out to Him.

He is with you.

I am longing for God to step in. I want Him to end this. He will, I just don’t know how.

Here is what I do know though –

I know that God will intervene in His own way at His own time. We can trust Him because He cares for us and has proven that by sending Jesus to this earth. 

I also know that God loves us. God showed His deep love for us in allowing His own Son to die for us. And by His Son’s death, God made a way for us to be reconciled to Him. 

I also know that even though evil seems like it is prevailing right now, it will not win. Victory has already been won by Christ, we are just in the waiting. 

I will keep praying. 

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

God, we need you. 

A Prayer for Ukraine

God of peace and justice, we pray for the people of Ukraine today. We pray for peace and the laying down of weapons. We pray for all those who fear tomorrow, that your Spirit of comfort would draw near to them. We pray for those with power over war or peace, for wisdom, discernment and compassion to guide their decisions. Above all, we pray for all your precious children, at risk and in fear, that you would hold and protect them. We pray in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Amen.

Archbishop Justin Welby, Archbishop Stephen Cottrell