Day 214: Country Focus RUSSIA

DAY 214

Faith in the Midst of a Pandemic    

A series of daily reflections for people of faith

by Rev. Robert Bayley, Interim Pastor

Patuxent Presbyterian Church, California, Maryland

pastorrobert@paxpres.org

Week Thirty-one    Wednesday 14 October 2020

Country Focus - Russia

Russia is the largest country in the world spread across nine time zones with a population of 145 million concentrated in the western portion of the country. Christianity was embraced in the 9^th century and has been dominated by the Orthodox Church until the revolution in 1917. For the next 40 years some estimated 20 million people were put to death, many of them Christians, including a high percentage of the clergy. While religion is now allowed, it remains under the thumb of the government. Since the end of WWII, Russia has remained the number one enemy of the United States, a cold war relationship exacerbated by years of official atheism.

Prayer Focus

+ Pray for the clergy of the Orthodox Church, some of whom are strongly evangelical.

+ Pray for the millions of Orthodox believers that Jesus will become alive and real for them.

+ Pray for the estimated 20% or the population who consider themselves atheists.

+ Pray for those caught in one of the highest rates of alcoholism in the world.

+ Pray for the many outside evangelical missionaries working in Russia, for protection and 

   encounters with those whose hearts are open to the Gospel.

+ Pray for openings into and missionaries available to reach the 78 ethnic minorities including  

   20 million Muslims with no Gospel witness.

+ Pray for prisoners – Russia is second only to the US in percentage of its population in prison.

+ Pray that as they sing their national anthem, below, Russians will think about what it means

   to be truly under God’s protection as individuals and seek this relationship in their own lives.

+ Pray for nearly 20 million Russians living abroad, that they will encounter Christ.

Jesus’ Prayer Request each Wednesday:

“’The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

Ask the Lord of the harvest,

therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Jesus - Matthew 9:37-38

For the full country profile and prayer needs

for Russia go to: operationworld.org.

Reflective question: While an adversarial foe, will you pray for the people of Russia?

Reflective Scripture: Matthew 5:44 – “But I tell, you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.”

Reflective hymn:

“Russian National Anthem – Sergey Mikhalkov (1913-2009)

From the southern seas to the polar lands spread our forests and fields.

You are unique in the world, one of a kind – native land protected by God!