I’m not sure if you’ve heard, or you’ve been living under a rock, but war has broken out between Ukraine and Russia. Many have varying opinions of the leadership of Russia, the leadership of Ukraine, and whether or not the U.S. should be involved, and to what degree.

One thing that should be clear to any of us, however, is that war is a messy, bloody business and that we should pray for peace. Though at the moment it may seem pretty far away, the consequences for our brothers and sisters in both Ukraine, and Russia can be severe and devastating. In Ukraine, of course, loss of life, loss of property, the need to flee, and much more is present. In Russia, our brothers and sisters face economic ruin as Russia is sanctioned by the rest of the world. Christians in both countries have called for an end to hostilities and have asked us in other countries to pray to that end. And so we should.

We can also pray that God will provide opportunities for ministry and witness in the midst of man’s strife. There will likely be many, many opportunities for Christians in these countries to give answer for the hope that lies within them. And so we can pray that as man designs evil, that God will turn it to good.