May they prosper who love you. (Psalm 122:6 NRSV)
Reflection by Keith Funk
In this ancient prayer for the peace of Jerusalem, may we hear a call to broaden the initial scope of this prayer for a world in turmoil and violence. While this expands the context of the prayer, I also think there is good reason to apply this prayer to places of conflict in our day. Afterall, the Psalmist writes in Psalm 24:1:
The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it,
the world, and those who live in it.
For some 25 years I have been blessed to have a friendship with a brother-in-Christ who is the pastor of a thriving congregation in Chernihiv, Ukraine. In 2015, I traveled with a friend to Ukraine to spend time with this pastor, his family, and his congregation. The following year, this pastor and his oldest son came to the United States and stayed with my wife and I for several days. We have continued our correspondence over the years, for which I am more than thankful.
In these recent years, the war between Ukraine and Russia has been at the heart our conversations. My friend shares of the violence of drone strikes and missile attacks on the cities of Ukraine. The infrastructure of Ukraine has been significantly damaged. Innocent lives have been lost, and injuries to the most vulnerable have become common place. The situation is tragic, and the suffering continues without restraint. Sadly, currently, there is no end to the war in sight.
With the war between Russia and Ukraine, there are other wars being fought throughout the world. We are aware of the situation in the Middle East and the tragic continuance of conflict in Gaza, the current situation between the United States and Iran, and so much instability on the African continent. We see uprisings in Paris and other cities in the world. The underlying reasons for these conflicts are many, though a common refrain of engagement for the sake of national interest is often invoked to justify them. What is lost in all of this is the irreplaceable value of life.
For the followers of Jesus, war must be intolerable. For every injury and death, this is injury or death borne by one created in the image of God. This is the desacralizing of humanity, the height of the creation of God. Sadly, in the history of war, this truth has been bypassed in the name of the greater good for which war is fought. Such are the consequences of the loss of a sacred view of life in which human beings are seen as expendable.
I regularly remind my friend and brother-in-Christ in Ukraine that I am praying for him, his family, and all of Ukraine. I am praying for peace—peace for Ukraine, for Russia, indeed for the world. The prayer of Psalm 122:6, to “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem” may be rightly prayed for where war is fought and where violence is manifest. May the prayer of peace be our daily prayer as we call upon God to bring and end to war and its destruction and death. Please pray for the peace of… (Nation, City, Place). Please pray!
Peace be with you.