Pray For Ukraine

Two days ago, we talked about the rumors of war, fearing that the peace long enjoyed in the West could be broken. That fear has become reality. As an American official told ABC News, “You are likely in the last few hours of peace on the European continent for a long time to come.” 

After weeks of Moscow’s saber rattling and vain promises that they had no designs on Ukraine, the Russian army has invaded its neighbor. Few were surprised, given the amassing of 200,000 troops on the border. Vladimir Putin made his intentions clear through theatrically executed meetings at the Kremlin where he walked his advisers through a script of dubious historical grievances and attempted to justify his recognition of the independence of territory inside Ukraine that Russia already controlled. 

At the same time, especially at this time in history in which wars are witnessed by the world in real time, it is hard to believe what we are all now seeing. Even up to the very end, there were pundits and politicians suggesting that the Russians would not take such a risk, and Russian officials continued to call warnings of the impending invasion “American propaganda.”  

And, there’s the old military saying that no plan survives contact with the enemy. Putin certainly knew that invading his neighbor would make his nation a pariah in the world community. So, surely, he wouldn’t actually do it, would he? 

He would and he did. Using an alleged call by the newly “independent” regions for aid against the “terrorist” actions of the Ukrainians as pretext, Putin ordered Russian forces into Ukraine. He claimed his actions were to prevent a humanitarian crisis from the supposedly Nazi-inspired government in Kyiv, even though that government had a Jewish president. 

Although most pre-war estimates were that he’d issue a smaller attack, enough to seize just part of Ukraine and place a pro-Moscow puppet in charge, the Russian attack has hit all across the nation. 

As of this writing, Russian forces are said to be in control of the Kyiv airport and the infamous Chernobyl nuclear plant and appear to be making progress out of Crimea in the South and toward Kharkiv in the East. 

Our news feeds are showing the devastation in real time. The low-flying Russian plane, flinging missiles into resident neighborhoods with a child crying in the background; the fathers saying goodbye to their children as they head back to the front; the massed helicopter attack, looking like something out of the movie Red Dawn. 

It’s far from clear what tomorrow will bring. Maybe, somehow, Western sanctions will force the Russians to back down. Maybe the Ukrainians hardened resistance will enable them to outlast their foe. Maybe the Russian people will finally sicken of Putin’s despotism and demand a new regime. Maybe it will all spiral out of control to the point that Europe, America, and other nations will have to get involved. All we do know is that before all is said and done, tens if not hundreds of thousands of people will be dead for the sake of Putin’s vanity. 

Where can hope be found in such dark days? As was from the beginning, is now, and ever shall be…only in Christ. 

When Christ was on Earth, He offered hope to people whose situation was more defined by fear than the affluence we’re all used to today. He knew that their world would, in fact, be further rocked by turmoil, the likes of which they’d never seen. And He knew He would not be with them, at least not in person.  

In Matthew 24 Jesus issued a somewhat vague warning about how bad it could get. Wondering what His words meant, His disciples asked for further direction, clarification, and hope. This was Jesus’ reply:   

“See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.”   

Jesus pulls no punches. He issues no false promises of world peace. He assures them that there would be wars, troubles, and calamities, and when they did come, they’d be just the beginning. Still, despite the impending chaos, Jesus said that it was possible not to lose our way. Or, as He put it in John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”   

Often recently, I’ve been reminded of something about prayer, especially when we are tempted to wonder, “Other than pray, what can I do?” Praying is doing something. In fact, it’s the most important thing.   

The Anglican Church in Dublin, Ireland, has crafted a prayer quite fitting for this moment:  

O Lord our Governor, whose glory is in all the world:  

We commend to your merciful care the people and government of Ukraine that, being guided by your providence, they may dwell secure in your peace.  

Grant to their leaders and all in authority, wisdom and strength to know and to do your will. Fill them with the love of truth and righteousness,  

and make them ever mindful of their calling to serve their people;  

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  

And, another prayer worth praying in this moment:  

Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit  

may so move every human heart in the nations of the world,  

that working and witnessing together,  

we may live in justice and peace  

and change the hearts of those who would make for conflict and war;  

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Resources:

Wars and Rumors of Wars
John Stonestreet and Timothy D. Padgett | BreakPoint | February 23, 2022

Source: Breakpoint, Colson Center

Written By: John Stonestreet and Timothy D. Padgett

Advent Prayers Week Four: A Prayer for Love

Advent is a time of reflection and anticipation in the weeks leading up to Christmas. The word "Advent" comes from the Latin word adventus meaning "coming". The advent season symbolizes both the waiting for the birth of Christ and his return. A popular tradition during Advent is the advent wreath made of evergreen to symbolize everlasting life in the midst of winter and a circle to remind us of both God's unending love and the eternal life offered through Jesus Christ. 

The Advent wreath has four candles - one is lit each Sunday of the four weeks of Advent. Each candle represents a new focus and time of reflection. The fourth week of Advent is the candle of love. Also known as the "angel candy", it is in this fourth week of Advent that we reflect on the ultimate gift of love - Jesus Christ. Jesus is our true example of love and it is He that came to teach us to love God and love others.

Use these Scriptures and prayer for the fourth week of Advent to reflect on the promise of unconditional love available only through and because of Jesus Christ.

Advent Week Four: Scripture for Reflection

Luke 2:11, Isaiah 7:14, John 1:14, John 3:16, John 1:16, Philippians 2:8-10, Titus 3:4-7, Luke 23:33-34, Luke 24:46-49

Week Four Prayer - A Prayer for Love

Heavenly Father, The whole meaning of Christmas can be explained in one little four-letter word…LOVE. You sent your gift of pure love to us that first Christmas. Love descended from heaven to be born of a virgin. Love lay in the scratchy hay of a manger in a meager barn in Bethlehem. All of your love, God, was robed in the delicate skin of a baby and wrapped in swaddling clothes. This final week of Advent, help us to reflect on the magnitude of love that was made manifest in Jesus.

Your word became flesh and you made your dwelling among us when Jesus was born. You set aside all of the glory and splendor of heaven and chose the most humble way to enter into your kingdom. Beneath the stars, surrounded by all of the hosts of heaven, Love came. Welcomed by an earthly mother and father, shepherds and wise men, Love came. 

You are King and King and Lord of Lords, Messiah, and Ruler of All, yet you came not as a lion but as a lamb. You came as an innocent baby whose purpose was to walk this earth in complete love and then to sacrificially give his life as an atonement for the sins of His children. Emmanuel. God with us. Love in the form of a man.

That was your plan. From beginning to end, you knew every minute of Jesus' life. You knew that the cross of Calvary was waiting for Jesus, yet you still sent your only Son so that our sin debt could be paid and we could walk blameless because of the shed blood of Jesus.

There is no greater gift than this, that a man should lay down his life for his friends. You willingly gave the gift of your life because of your love. Your righteous blood covered our sin. You redeem and restore us when we confess you as Lord and Savior of our life. At that moment you give us the gift of your love for all eternity. We receive grace upon grace and mercy upon mercy in that moment.

The greatest gift of all came that first Christmas. It wasn’t wrapped in a beautiful package and set under a decorated tree. The greatest gift came wrapped in the flesh of baby Jesus and laid in the rough wood of a manger. Our perfect gift would later be rewrapped in the scars of our sin and nailed to the rugged wood of a cross on Calvary, all because of love.

Father, this final week of Advent, fill our hearts and minds with the significance of that truth. Thank you, Lord, for loving us enough to send Jesus. In Jesus’ precious name we pray. Amen

Written By: Bobbie Schaeperkoetter

Source: Crosswalk.com

Advent Prayers Week Three: The Gift of Joy

Advent is a time of reflection and anticipation in the weeks leading up to Christmas. The word "Advent" comes from the Latin word adventus meaning "coming". The advent season symbolizes both the waiting for the birth of Christ and his return. A popular tradition during Advent is the advent wreath made of evergreen to symbolize everlasting life in the midst of winter and a circle to remind us of both God's unending love and the eternal life offered through Jesus Christ. 

The Advent wreath has four candles - one is lit each Sunday of the four weeks of Advent. Each candle represents a new focus and time of reflection. The third week of Advent is the candle of joy. Also known as the "shepherd candle", it is in this third week of advent that we rejoice for the coming King. The shepherds experienced joy at the good news of the birth of the Messiah.

Use these Scriptures and prayer for the third week of Advent to reflect on the greatest joy in the world - the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Advent Week Three Scripture for Reflection: 

Luke 1:14, Luke 2:10-11, Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 11:1, Galatians 4:4, Luke 1:45, Romans 15:13, 2 Corinthians 9:15, Psalms 107:1

Advent Week Three Prayer - A Prayer for Joy

Heavenly Father, This third week of Advent, let us remember that the good news of Jesus’ birth has the power to bring us great joy this Christmas season. Our joy isn’t dependent on what is going on in our life, in our world, or the people that we are with. It doesn’t depend on the gifts we give or the gifts we find under the tree. No earthly thing can ever give us complete joy. Our joy comes from you. That joy that flooded the hearts of the shepherds, the angels, the wise men, the hosts of heaven, and Mary and Joseph is the joy that still has the power to overwhelm our hearts with rejoicing. 

Those who gathered around the new baby were blessed because they believed that you had fulfilled your promises. Mary and Joseph believed and were able to feel the joy of holding baby Jesus in their arms. The shepherds and wise men believed the angles and the signs and experienced the great gladness of worshipping their Messiah.

Those who knew him and recognized him were overjoyed at the coming of Jesus. They saw the prophecies fulfilled and their fear was replaced with happiness as they gazed on the face of the one who would be their Savior. They trusted in your promises and their hearts were filled with gladness as they watched your loving-kindness manifested in the face of a tiny baby in a lowly manger. 

Father, you offer that same joy to us now if we know you and recognize Jesus as our Savior and Lord. You gave us a reason to celebrate when you gave us the unspeakable gift of Jesus Christ. You came to dwell among us. You went to Calvary’s cross for us. You overcame death and rose from the dead for us. You forgive our sin and give us eternal life when we believe in you. 

Our joy doesn’t come from our jobs, our family, our relationships, our finances, or our success. Our joy doesn’t come from what we have on earth or who we are with. Our joy is a gift. It is the gift that you gave us that first Christmas in Jesus Christ. Our joy is encompassed in our Savior, King Jesus. Flood our hearts with joy this Advent season as we reflect on the good news of Jesus’ birth. In Jesus’ precious name we pray. Amen

Written By: Bobbie Schaeperkoetter

Source: Crosswalk.com

Advent Prayers Week Two: The Peace of Advent

Advent is a time of reflection and anticipation in the weeks leading up to Christmas. The word "Advent" comes from the Latin word adventus meaning "coming". The advent season symbolizes both the waiting for the birth of Christ and his return. A popular tradition during Advent is the advent wreath made of evergreen to symbolize everlasting life in the midst of winter and a circle to remind us of both God's unending love and the eternal life offered through Jesus Christ. 

The Advent wreath has four candles - one is lit each Sunday of the four weeks of Advent. Each candle represents a new focus and time of reflection. The second week of Advent is the candle of peace.  This candle reminds us that the angels declared "peace on earth" at the birth of Jesus. Jesus offers us inner peace and peace with others. We can know and experience peace today only though the life of Jesus Christ.

Use these Scriptures and prayer for the second week of Advent to reflect on the Prince of Peace.

Advent Week Two: Scripture for Reflection

Isaiah 9:6, Luke 2:14, Matthew 1:23, Philippians 2:8-10, 1 Timothy 1:15-17, John 3:16, 1 John 5:11, Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:34-35, John 14:27

Advent Week Two Prayer: A Prayer for Peace

Heavenly Father,

You are the God who gives peace. This second week of Advent, cause us to remember that because of Jesus we can experience a Christmas free from turmoil and chaos. Regardless of our circumstances or our situations, you offer us peace that passes understanding. 

That first Christmas, when you sent your Son, you sent the one who is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Even the angels cried out, ‘Glory to God in the Highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’ The angels knew your purpose. They know the gifts of hope, peace, joy, and love that Christmas held. They recognized the fullness of God was wrapped in the tiny flesh of an infant as you humbled yourself and dwelt among us. Emmanuel. God with us as the baby Jesus.

That baby would grow to be the same God-man, Jesus, who would again humble himself to face death on a cruel cross as payment for our sin. He would triumphantly defeat sin and death and hell in order to cancel our sin debt and reconcile us to you, Father.

That is why you sent your Son, Jesus. Because you loved us, you sent Jesus, that we might believe in Him and receive eternal life. He was the first Christmas gift and still remains the only gift worth truly having.

You exalted Him and gave him a name above all names. Every knee in heaven and earth and under the earth must bow to the name of Jesus. The winds and waves obey Him. He rules and reigns as king over all. No situation or circumstance that we find ourselves in is a match for Jesus. 

We are able to have the fullness of peace in our hearts on Christmas day, and every day, because that same Jesus sits at your right hand in heaven and makes intercession for us. Not only that, but he paid our sin debt. He loves us with a love that is unfathomable. Nothing can separate us from His love. He is good and his plans for us are good.

Father, this second week of Advent, keep us in perfect peace as our mind stays on the truth of your powerful love. Thank you for your mighty, sovereign hand. Help us to trust fully in you and rest in the peace that you offer.

It’s in the precious name of Jesus we pray.

Amen.

Written By: Bobbie Schaeperkoetter

Source: Crosswalk.com

Advent Prayers Week One: The Hope of Advent

Advent is a time of reflection and anticipation in the weeks leading up to Christmas. The word "Advent" comes from the Latin word adventus meaning "coming". The advent season symbolizes both the waiting for the birth of Christ and his return. A popular tradition during Advent is the advent wreath made of evergreen to symbolize everlasting life in the midst of winter and a circle to remind us of both God's unending love and the eternal life offered through Jesus Christ. 

The Advent wreath has four candles - one is lit each Sunday of the four weeks of Advent. Each candle represents a new focus and time of reflection. The first week of Advent is the candle of hope. Also known as the "prophecy candle", it is in this first week of Advent that we remember Old Testament prophecies of the coming Messiah. The color of the candle is purple to symbolize the royalty of Jesus Christ. 

Use these Scriptures and prayer for the first week of Advent to reflect on the promises God and the coming baby who is would be King.

Advent Week One Scripture for Reflection

Isaiah 11:1, Matthew 1:22, Matthew 2:6, Micah 5:2, Luke 2:8, Isaiah 7:14, John 1:14, Romans 6:23, Jeremiah 29:11, Acts 5:31, 2 Corinthians 9:15, Acts 5:31

Advent Week One Prayer: A Prayer for Hope

Heavenly Father,

Advent is a time for remembering and reflecting on the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Father, I pray that you will turn our hearts toward you as Christmas approaches.  Let us not get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season this year and miss the chance to celebrate the gifts of hope, peace, joy, love, that you sent to us on that first Christmas.

Father God, every word in scripture points to the gift of hope that we have because of Christ Jesus.  The Christmas story wasn’t the beginning of that message of hope because the old testament is full of glimpses of your plan to redeem your people and restore them into a relationship with you, but we are able to truly begin to see and understand just how great your love for us is when we read the story of Jesus’ birth in scripture.

You showed us a glimmer of that hope as you chose to send your son into this earth through a family tree that was a little bent and scarred.  We glanced it again as you chose a tribe that was small and a city that was lowly. It can be seen when we recognize that you don’t send your Son to be birthed in a fancy palace among the wealthy and the elite, but our King of Kings and Lord of Lords was born among common shepherds and livestock in a barn.

The family wasn’t ideal.  The surroundings weren’t grand.  The situation wasn’t without its’ difficulties, however, you came in the midst of all of that.  Emmanuel.  God with us.  God in the messy.  God in the dirty.  God in the difficult and the troubled.  

Your plan to redeem and restore mankind was to dwell among us, fully God and fully man.  You chose to come to earth enrobed in the fragile soft skin of a newborn baby and set aside all of the glory of heaven for one purpose.  You came to be with us.  You came to love us.  You came to die for us so that we might live.

Help us to see that you are with us.  Nothing is too difficult, too messy, or too dirty for you.  Jesus came to give us the gift of eternal life through the salvation that only you, our Heavenly Father, can give when we believe in your Son, repent of our sins, and confess Jesus as our Lord and Savior. 

That first Christmas, you gave us the gift of hope wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.  Thank you, Father, for your immeasurable gift.

In Jesus’ precious name, we pray. Amen.

Written By: Bobbie Schaeperkoetter

Source: Crosswalk.com