Afghanistan, My Heart is With You

It's heartbreaking. They are images that you can't get out of your head. Images of frightened men, women and children who have been abandoned by their nation's leader and military to face the unknown plans of insurrectionists who have overthrown the Afghan government. Images of a U.S. soldier pulling a dangling baby to safety as hundreds and thousands try to flee the country. Images of a desperate Afghan man falling to his death from a U.S. military plane as it takes off from Kabul. Images of frantic people going to the banks and ATMs only to learn that their money is gone. The voices of those pleading for help as they are stranded, helpless. No matter which side you're on, the side that agrees with Joe Biden's decision to begin pulling our troops from Afghanistan or the side that says he should have left well enough alone, at least for now; I think we can all agree that what is happening is very heart wrenching and very unfortunate. Politics aside, I had to look at the situation from a different perspective. What if those were my children who were stationed there for months and years at a time, fighting a never-ending battle? What if it were my son being deployed there now in the midst of the chaos that has been stirred up within the past week or so? Or what if it were me? What if God had given me the task of being a missionary charged to spread the Gospel in Kabul only to be stranded, praying that I make it out alive? I don't know about you but all three of those scenarios frighten me. My heart and my prayers are with all who are in Afghanistan and with those who are here, safe, but who have family members and loved ones stranded there. My prayers are that somehow, someway we manage to beat the end of month deadline and bring to safety our citizens who are waiting to be rescued. I pray that our military is protected and that not one life is loss. I pray that God's foot soldiers are brought out unharmed as they face persecution. And to all of the many innocent men, women and children who will be left behind to face the Taliban regime, I pray that God be with you.