Pray for Ukraine?

In an earlier post I touched on the issue of leaders who were silent about the major issues of the last season jumping up seemingly giddy with support for Ukraine. I still believe that we need to be raising our voices for the pivotal issues of our day not just those that have mainstream support, however worthy.

As Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen stated: "The refusal to take sides on great moral issues is itself a decision. It is a silent acquiescence to evil. The tragedy of our time is that those who still believe in honesty lack fire and conviction, while those who believe in dishonesty are full of passionate conviction."

I was talking about the "Pray for Ukraine" phenomenon. What does that phrase mean? I guess as clickbait or a diary note reminder it may have some utility, but in the hands of our religious and political elites it also seems to be a virtue signal with all the meaning of changing the colours on your social media. It reminds me of the beauty pageant contestants all saying they want "world peace" or and "end to hunger" - unspecific motherhood statements. Translated out of Pharisee, I think it means that you are comfortable to identify as supporting Ukraine much like a football fan will only wear a cap from their favourite team. Maybe a digital, "Oh my goodness."

The deeper question raised by this statement is - What? Pray what for Ukraine? This is what I wanted to discuss briefly.

Call to Prayer - I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. I Tim. 2: 1-2

There is a general call to pray "for kings" with the goal of living peaceful lives. Under this call it would be equally valid to say "Pray for Russia", or "Pray for Russia and Ukraine", or "Pray for Peace." Hidden in this call is the same underlying question of - What? What prayers, what petitions and what intercession and thanksgiving?

Intercede for God's plans in a nation: How about this? He makes nations great, and destroys them; he enlarges nations, and disperses them. Job 12: 23-25

In order to pray and intercede beyond generalities, we need to have insight into God's plans and purposes. It is informative to see an example of this nation-dealing in action as God deals with Jerusalem in Jeremiah 6 and 7:

Your iniquities have turned these blessings away, and your sins have kept good harvests from you...they do not judge and plead with justice the cause of the fatherless, that they may prosper, and they do not defend the rights of the needy... shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this? It goes on in this vein followed by: Thus says the Lord: a people is coming from the north country, a great nation...they are cruel (ruthless and inhuman) and have no mercy...Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Trust not in the lying words of the false prophets who maintain that God will protect Jerusalem..."

Are you confused yet? Do you know how to Pray for Ukraine? How does Ukraine fit in God's plans and what is He doing there? Does Ukraine and its' people need to amend their ways the same way they needed to do in Jerusalem?

According to Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index (a scale of least to most corrupt nations), Ukraine ranked 122nd out of 180 countries in 2021, the second most corrupt in Europe, ahead of Russia. The US State Department notes that: Endemic corruption plagued the police and judiciary, and cases of officials complicit in human trafficking persisted.

Indeed, anyone looking at Ukraine will have noted the massive corruption and that it had become the playground of the corrupt liberal elites. Ukraine has also been the subject of a 'colour revolution' installing a pro-Western leadership. It has also been a centre for alleged corrupt US activity from Biden forcing the sacking of officials to his son getting paid millions for a no show job with one of the oligarchs. Even trying to look into this corruption led to the distracting impeachment attempt on a sitting US President. Corruption, prostitution, sex trafficking, and oligarchs oppressing the poor. Could this pervasive sin and endemic corruption have any bearing on the current situation? It certainly did for Jerusalem and we did learn that God did not favour His people just because the invaders were "ruthless and inhuman."

Interestingly, both China and Russia have called out the US for their "black site" biolabs in Ukraine. This had been dismissed earlier as a conspiracy until the presence of biolabs was confirmed by Victoria Nuland, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs. As Lara Logan wrote (in locals.com): "Putin's speeches are very telling and his demands are revealing - most especially his demand for Ukraine to hand over the scientists etc who staffed the US-funded bio-weapons facilities on their soil...Acc to multiple US Intel sources, Putin has already destroyed apx 8 of these labs..." Not much heard about this on state media.

So, pray for Ukraine? Here is what I think this really means:

1. We need to pray for Ukraine and its' leaders as well as praying for Russia and its' leaders. We need to pray for godly wise leadership and that a path to peace is found, as well as for the preservation of life. We need to pray that evildoers are replaced.

2. We also need to pray that these unwise leaders, particularly those in the west, do not do anything to inflame or enlarge the war. For the first time there has been a concerted attack on the banking system of a nation. There also seems to be rabid "war-porn" by the press and a call to war by all of the same leaders that have totally failed us in the past two years. We see the Oppressor of Protestors, Trudeau swanning in to the UK to meet the Queen and lecture on democracy. The propaganda machines and state media on both sides have been in full swing. However, Putin and Russia are not the truckers in Canada, and Russia and Putin also have a say in what happens. In war, mistakes can happen and we need to pray that these unwise leaders are restrained and enter into negotiations to end the conflict.

3. We need to pray for discernment in what God is doing? I do not want to be one of the false prophets Jeremiah mentioned who were saying things against God's plans just because the invaders were evil and ungodly. What is God doing? How will evil and evildoers be shaken and righteousness established. We need to seek God in prayer and listen to prophets with understanding so we can pray and decree in alignment with God's purposes. Is there an element of judgement here? If we do not know, we need to pray that God's purposes are established and that the enemy's plans come to naught.

4. If you were troubled by 3, how about this. Pray that the people of Ukraine will follow the Biblical pattern - Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. II Chron. 7:14 That the church will lead a revival as people turn to Jesus and have their land restored.

5. Finally, pray for your brothers and sisters in Ukraine. Protection, guidance and understanding through this difficult trial and do something practical to help them.

Remember, we have been in a season of shaking. Personally, corporately, in the church and in the nations. We are seeing this unfold now as certainties are rocked and leaders are exposed. There is a shaking in Ukraine, Russia and in the West. Canada was shaken with the trucker protest. The church was shaken and sifted through the pandemic restrictions. While the death and destruction is caused by the enemy we need to pray that God's plans are established as He rules in the nations.