Now Is a Great Time to Pray

The world is watching in horror as the Taliban begin exerting their freshly-won rule over Afghanistan.

There are news outlets reporting that the Taliban have pledged to play nice this time. No more beheading, acid-throwing, massacres of school girls, abuse of women, kill lists, and so forth.

American Military News is reporting that the American military has no plan to rescue Americans caught behind the Taliban’s lines. Rather, Secretary of Defense Austin and the US State Department are counting on the Taliban to grant safe passage to those not able to get to the airport in Kabul prior to the Taliban’s takeover of the capitol city. AMN also notes that the Taliban are beating and whipping those trying to enter the Kabul airport.

Back in June, the Biden Administration discontinued the Contingency and Crisis Response Bureau. The CCR was tasked with protecting Americans trapped abroad for whatever reasons: unrest, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.

President Biden said on Wednesday there are around 15,000 Americans trapped in Afghanistan in addition to thousands of Afghans who assisted US troops and whose lives are in danger. The recently deployed military has until August 31st to evac these folks POTUS stated. How this squares with the Pentagon having “no plan to rescue” those trapped behind Taliban lines is beyond me. Mr. Biden said leaving these Americans and faithful locals behind was “priced” into the decision to pull out of the country during an interview with ABC News.

One of my jobs a few years ago entailed working alongside an agency and those who minister the message of Christ in and around Afghanistan. These are courageous people doing amazing work in a really difficult place.

As He always does, God is faithful to His Word. Many locals converted from Islam to Christianity. There is a healthy house church movement in the country. Estimates are that there are 10,000-12,000 Christians in Afghanistan.

By design, I do not know the whereabouts of my colleagues.

These Believers, both Western and local, are in imminent danger. The men will be tortured and beheaded. Their wives will be raped and destroyed, their young daughters given as child brides to Taliban fighters, and their sons killed.

News outlets are reporting that the Taliban have served notice to house churches and the leaders that they know who they are, where they are, and that they are coming for them. My, my.

A monstrous catastrophe is playing out in Afghanistan. The Taliban hate Westerners. They hate Christians. They have pronounced over and over again that their singular reason for living is to kill us and destroy all associated with our lives as infidels to Islam.

Father God, we pray now.

My friends, the world is a dark place. For all our concerns in America, these members of our human family and our forever family are in grave danger.

I won’t belabor you with unnecessary words. You’ve seen the images, heard about the grizzly discoveries in the wheel wells of Air Force evac jets, etc. I hope the reports that the Taliban have reformed their ways are true, but I wouldn’t bet a plug nickel that this is true.

Our Father has heard the cries of the oppressed. He will act in ways that are likely not obvious to us, but He will act as His character guides Him. He loves. He has compassion. And, He is the mighty warrior. But precious in His sight is the death of His loved ones as well.

Our Father invites us to pray, encourages us to join Him, and instructs us to pray prayers of intercession. I encourage you to pray.

One day, we will be together in the light of heaven. Let us step up to the Believers who were courageous and say, “I prayed. My head and heart were focused on your peril. Among other things, I asked Father to grant you courage and confidence in your faith.”