A pastor in Virginia, who hails from Ukraine, called for Christians to pray, not just for the Ukrainians but Russians as well.
In an interview with Faithwire, Andrew Moroz, a lead elder at Gospel Community Church in Lynchburg, expressed his shock and grief over the condition of his friends and family in Ukraine, who have to hide in basements, subway stations and bomb shelters just to protect themselves.
He is encouraged, however, that the Christians are continuing to worship God despite the situation.
"... There's videos going around of prayer services and worship experiences in subways and so I'm praying that Jesus is glorified. If He is peace - which we believe He is, He's the Prince of Peace - then we want more of Him in these spaces where people are hurting," Moroz added.
He revealed that he is praying the Lord's Prayer for Ukraine and urged others to do it too.
"We can pray that for each other, too, in just the same elements that Jesus lays out for us. This is what those people need. This is what I need right now: 'Lord, I need Your Kingdom present in my life. I want Your Kingdom present in the Ukraine. I need Your provision and sustenance; they need provision,'" the pastor said.
Further, he shared that the Ukrainians are asking him to pray for their safety and global support for their country. In spite of the circumstances, Moroz disclosed that the people remain steadfast in their faith and continue to believe that God is with them.
He concluded by urging the believers to also pray for the Russian people.
"This isn't a 'Ukraine is great and Russia is bad [situation].' Both countries have citizens who are made in the image of God and who want to live lives in peace and who want to encourage each other. So we're praying for truth and justice in both spaces," Moroz declared.
Following the invasion of Ukraine last Thursday, a number of countries have already imposed sanctions on Russia, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, New Zealand, Australia and the members of the European Union (EU).
Some nations, such as Germany, United States, Belgium, Netherlands, Czech Republic, France, Slovakia and the EU, have also pledged to send aid for the Ukrainian military. Israel, on the other hand, will be sending humanitarian assistance instead, in a bid to maintain its neutrality.
As of Feb. 27, Ukraine has already lost more than 300 of its citizens. Over 1,600 individuals were also wounded during the attacks.
The Russian side, however, suffered heavier losses. About 4,300 of its soldiers have already died and a significant number of military equipment were also destroyed in the operation, including 27 aircraft, 26 helicopters and 146 tanks.
Ukraine and Russia have agreed to hold peace talks, which are set to begin Monday in Belarus. Though he does not really believe about the outcome of the negotiations, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he does not want his people to think that he did not try to stop the war.
