Thought for the Week - 27th February 2022

Dear Friends,

From BMS World Mission’s website on 25th February we read, ‘As Russian President Vladimir Putin launches an invasion of Ukraine and reports of missile strikes and explosions near major cities are shared, please pray for Ukraine and for the work of peace, aid, relief and refuge being carried out across the region’. BMS are in contact with their partners at the European Baptist Federation (EBF) and are closely monitoring the escalating situation. When last they spoke to their partners in the area who have been providing aid in Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine, they passed on their requests for the following prayers:

·        Please pray for the people of Ukraine. Pray that peace would flow through this country and through this region and that together we would walk the path of peace.

·        Please pray for God’s protection upon the Baptists who minister and distribute aid to (and meet with) many people across Donetsk and Luhansk.

·        Please pray for a peaceful solution to this conflict, which follows on from eight years of violence in the Donbas region. Pray also for the awakening in the hearts of people, for them to come to Christ.

·        Please pray for those affected by the conflict no matter their nationality or religious affiliation.

The General Secretary of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) has reported that Baptist churches in Ukraine have been gathering to pray and to plan, encouraging churches to stock up on food, petrol and other essentials, and to prepare to be centres of refuge in the event of widespread displacement. From the BMS World Mission Pray for Ukraine web page we read that in one of the occupied territories, ‘the Baptist churches were declared to be officially terrorist organisations, as was the union of Ukrainian Baptist churches. More than 40 Baptist churches were shut down or forced to go into hiding, the Baptist Hymnal was outlawed as “extremist material,” as was the gospel of John. One of the pastors in those occupied areas told the BWA that the persecution they are facing today is worse than anything they faced under Soviet rule’. The following prayer is taken from the Methodist Church:

Holy and Gracious God, we pray for the people of the Ukraine and the people of Russia; for their countries and their leaders. We pray for all those who are afraid; that your everlasting arms hold them in this time of great fear. We pray for all those who have the power over life and death; that they will choose for all people life, and life in all its fullness. We pray for those who choose war; that they will remember that you direct your people to turn our swords into ploughshares and seek for peace. We pray for leaders on the world stage; that they are inspired by the wisdom and courage of Christ. Above all, Lord, today we pray for peace for Ukraine. And we ask this in the name of your blessed Son. Lord have mercy. Amen

You can find up to date information from BMS World Mission about the situation in Ukraine by visiting https://www.bmsworldmission.org/news/pray-for-ukraine/

Grace and peace,

Neil

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