“When we lived under the U.S.S.R. we felt we were being controlled. We were told what to say. We were told what to wear. Independence was like a second life, the birth of something new. My wings spread and I started to remember poems I recited to my mother as a child.Now, I have poems of terror.” (Ludmila Elagina; Mariupol, Ukraine; quoted in The Washington Post, August 31, 2014)
Remembering what life was like before Ukraine received its independence in 1991 from the Soviet Union, Ludmila has volunteered to help dig trenches in her hometown because she is afraid of the return of a repressive regime.
She says people are panicking because they don’t know who to trust. If they hear an explosion, they don’t know if it is coming from the Ukrainians or the rebels.
Ukrainian military officials report that rebels who want to reunite with Russia are being supported by Russian soldiers, tanks and armored personnel carriers.
The Russian incursion has deepened anxieties about the future. The West is alarmed. The European Commission president said the crisis would soon “reach the point of no return.” Ukraine’s president Poroshenko warned the conflict could spread further into Europe. Some historians foresee a possible 21st century repetition of the warring 20th century world.
In these troublesome times, believers in Christ proclaim our creed to the world—
we believe the Prince of Peace will accomplish what warriors could not;
we believe international chaos will be replaced by heavenly calm;
we believe the future is as bright as the promises of God;
we believe the Messiah will return to restore paradise;
we believe terror will be conquered by Truth;
we believe heaven on earth will materialize;
we believe there will be peace at last.
We who live in a country rich in freedom should pray that Ludmila will again be able to remember peaceful poems.
“The boots of the warrior and the uniforms bloodstained by war will all be burned, fuel for the fire.
His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!” (Isaiah 9:5, 7 NLT)
Johnny R. Almond
Christian preacher and writer
Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity
http://GentleWhispersFromEternity-ScripturePersonalized.com/
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