For years I watched hours of television news each day to help me stay informed about what was going on in my community and the world. Eventually I stopped since it consistently left me frustrated about things I could not change.
Never-the-less, I am writing today about a sobering event currently in the news. Even if you do not follow current events closely you have probably heard about the unfolding tragedy in Afghanistan and know it is likely to get worse before it gets better. Let me be clear, my point is neither to agree with nor attack Presidents Trump nor Biden for the decision to pull our troops out of the war-torn country. I am writing to encourage prayer for everyone caught in the middle of this gruesome drama.
Dr. Rex Rogers, North American President of the Middle East media ministry SAT-7, recently described the dangerous conditions for Christians as the Taliban regains control. He wrote, “It’s incredibly dangerous right now for Afghans to have anything Christian on their phones. The Taliban have spies and informants everywhere.”
The ministry Open Doors ranked Afghanistan as the second-most dangerous country in the world for Christians before the Taliban regained power. The terrorist group is eager to kill Christians and remove any influence the church or non-militant Muslims have there.
A US pastor who works with Afghan refugees reports the Taliban is targeting young Christian girls. Afghani church leaders are now receiving threatening letters from the Taliban. Many of us share the faith of these persecuted believers and these, our spiritual brothers and sisters desperately need our prayers.
However, we should not pray only for Afghan believers, because everyone, including non-Christians who refuse to support the radical group will be targeted as it regains control. Nations and mission groups from around the world are working tirelessly to get their people out of the unstable country but millions of Afghanis have no hope of leaving.
We also need to pray for President Biden and other world leaders who play a role in what is happening in Afghanistan. The situation there is incredibly complex and our leaders need more than mere human wisdom if there is any hope of restoring even basic order.
Frankly we all need God’s help. Consider these words from the Apostle Paul, “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.” (1 Timothy 2:1-2, NLT)
Americans need to pray and ask God to help all Afghans and those outside the country who can play a role in stopping the chaos. Please join me in asking God to bring stability to this region of world that has been in nearly constant turmoil for centuries.
