Are You Really Praying for Ukraine?

What’s happening in Ukraine has the attention of us all. We are listening to the news, we are talking about the developments, and we boldly claim we are praying for Ukraine. We say it in conversation, we post about it on social media, and we expect that all Christians everywhere are rightfully doing their part in prayer. 

But are we really? I’m not asking about the collective Christian population, but us personally: are you and I really praying? 

Clearly, prayer is the logical place for us to turn. There’s not much most of us can do about the unraveling of life for thousands upon thousands of people across the globe — But we recognize God can intervene and affect change. So we plan to pray. 

However, what I know from human nature (my own, first and foremost), is how easy it is to forget to actually follow through. We may have entirely noble intentions, but we are busy and we are distractible and we fail at doing the very thing we boldly claim we will do — Pray for Ukraine. 

So while I’m no qualified commentator on current events, I do think it’s worth saying: Let’s actually pray. As history unfolds before our eyes, let’s be truly involved through prayer. 

Let’s ask God to work out his plans, let’s ask him to accomplish his will. Let’s pray for justice. Let’s pray for peace. Let’s pray for the world’s leaders to have wisdom and courage. Let’s ask God to protect his people, use his church, and make the gospel known.

Let’s pray for those who are scared and hurting and confused, each and every one of them God knows by name — and let’s pray that they’d turn to their Creator and find hope and rest amidst turmoil. Let’s pray he’d guide and comfort them every step of the way. 

Let’s beg God to somehow use all this for good. 

And when we look back on history, however this all turns out, we won’t be ashamed that we were too wrapped up in our schedules and to-do lists to stop and care. We will know that we stood for what is right. Maybe not in the public square, but before the throne of God. On our knees, we asked the one with all authority and power to work out his plans, to accomplish his will, and to help his people. We can say we really prayed.