A Saturday Evening Post

Fear and uncertainty are a staple in the world we live in. Fear of death grips Ukraine as the Russian army rolls across their homeland.  On Wednesday morning, Ukrainians woke up to the sound of artillery. Within three hours many women and children packed provisions and said goodbye to the adult males in their family, who are not able to leave if they are needed by the military. Many left for the Western border of Ukraine, but many chose to stay, and others were unable to leave. How can we pray in these uncertain times? 

They are scared at night as they listen to the constant crash of bombs and sirens, the whistling of fighter jets overheard. They can’t sleep. Fear is a constant companion. Like the wind on a cold day, fear finds every nook and crack of their souls. Many are trying not to read the news as it’s a constant reminder of the danger they are in.   

We are reminded of how broken our world is. Can we have peace in war? 

How can we rebuke the spirit of fear? 

While wandering around in the wilderness David had a lot of time to think, he wrote a psalm from the perspective of the sheep. They are vulnerable completely dependent on their shepherd for safety. A sheep fighting back a wolf might be about how a soldier in the Ukrainian military is feeling right now. They are brave and fighting for their freedom, but they have no weapon to defend themselves. And yet the sheep says:

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He restores my soul. He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table in the presence of my enemies. My cup overflows. Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.  

You probably don’t know who Horatio Spafford is. A man of many tragedies, He lost son at four years old. Shortly after, He was devastated financially by the ‘Great Chicago Fire’. His business interests were hit again two years later by the economic downturn of 1873. He had planned to travel to England with his family, but was suddenly delayed on business. He sent the family on ahead, planning to follow them later. While crossing the Atlantic, the ship sank rapidly when it collided with another sea vessel, and he lost his four daughters to the sea.  Later, voyaging to England, as he was passing near the place where the bodies of his four girls lay at the bottom of the ocean, he penned the words to a well known hymn:

It is Well

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know^[b]
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Peace is possible in war,  

I assembled a few photos of our time there to remember times of peace. Hopefully, soon we will be able to do more than pray for our brothers and sisters, in Ukraine but for now, we must leave them in the hands of the Prince of Peace.