Prayers for Ukraine and Russia

We first published this prayer in February 2022, sadly its words are still relevant.

Eternal God,

We hold before you
the peoples of Ukraine and of Russia.


We pray for those who are in despair today
because they see their homeland invaded
and those they love in danger.
Bind up their hearts, O God,
and give them strength to care for one another.


We pray for those who are in despair today
because their children on national service
have been placed in the front of the Russian advance. 
Bind up their hearts, O God,
and give them certainty in your love. 


We pray for our own and other nations,
expressing their concern,
but finding it hard to turn that concern
into anything that really helps.


Take from us all, O God,
any desire to lord it over others,
and make us ready to sacrifice what is easy
for the sake of what is good,
so that your lordship over us might be
a witness to the world.
In the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace,
Amen

Stephen Haward and Jennifer McColm 25th February 2022