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Whom shall I fear?
In these fearful days, how can we see light and salvation in the Lord? (Psalm 27.1)
Context
The invasion of Ukraine continues to fill our news. It is far from clear how this story will develop over days, or months or even years. How many more will flee Ukraine before this is over? Will Putin stop at the western borders of Ukraine or will he look for excuses to go on into tiny Moldova, or the small Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) or even into Finland or Poland? We have seen conflict, notably in former Yugoslavia, over many years but this is already by far the most damaging war fought in Europe since the end of World War II, 77 years ago. And it is testing the European Union, the United States and the United Kingdom in wholly new ways.
In the midst of this war, we are also witnessing huge refugee movements in Europe. I have been moved by reports of people opening their homes to refugees, and leaving equipment like push chairs for refugees to use. We can, of course, pray and there are prayers on denominational (C-of-E Archbishops; Methodist Church; United Reformed Church) and other websites which you may want to consider. There is the Disasters Emergency Committee and other appeals for financial help. But beyond that, what else can we usefully do?
And what about all the other stories which have largely disappeared from our news? Conflicts elsewhere in the world have not come to a sudden end. In the midst of war, the latest and very challenging report from the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has been largely overlooked.
Reflection and ideas for a sermon, talk or conversation
Psalm 27, the lectionary psalm for today, was written in deeply troubled times when armies were encamped around them and war was rising (v3). Those verses seem entirely pertinent to the current situation as cities in Ukraine are encircled and, whatever official Russian media may call it, Putin has unleashed war on Ukraine. Some psalms are angry. Some are penitent. Some contain vindictive passages which are hard for us to read. Some are really difficult for people who believe in a God of love. I believe that someone has said that every human emotion can be found in the Psalms. But here in Psalm 27 God, unusually, is described as light in a dark world. Is that light to be found in individual stories of courage?
Psalm 27 is written for the fearful. Fear is one of the most disabling emotions. People can literally be rendered unable to move by fear of personal violence whether from terrorists or from invading armies. Fear of a neighbour or an abusive parent can render people unable to think rationally. And media hype can exaggerate people’s fears. But the psalm ends with a firm conviction that we ‘shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living’ if we ‘wait for the Lord’ (vv13-14).
I am no great fan of chickens. Some years ago we used to keep chickens and I enjoyed eating the eggs. But I disliked pretty much everything else about them. When my wife was away it was my job to close them in at night and open them in morning, checking that they had enough food and water. It was never something I did from choice! Our local foxes regularly tried to get our hens; mostly they did not succeed.
It would be easy, but facile, to associate Putin with Herod, the fox, as portrayed in today’s gospel. Nevertheless there may be aspects of this gospel story which have relevance. The Pharisees are, unusually, the good guys in this story for they come to warn Jesus but he insists that he must head for Jerusalem. I am reminded of the people who have told President Zelenskiy that he must flee Kyiv to escape the bombardment. But like the (British) King George VI in 1940, he refused to go despite the risk. Neither were looking for death but accepting that it could come.
As we see war in Europe dominating our headlines, how many other conflicts have disappeared below the radar. I think of Cameroon and Nigeria, both of which I have visited. Mali and Burkina Faso were both in the news before the present war. But Afghanistan is still there, as is Myanmar. The conflict in Israel/Palestine is unlikely to be resolved any time soon even as Israel’s Prime Minister seeks to mediate over Ukraine. Tonga will be recovering from the volcano eruption on 15 January for years. And doubtless there are other places which I have not recalled.
The warnings in the recent IPCC report were stark. ‘It is unequivocal that climate change has already disrupted human and natural systems.’ There is no longer any serious doubt that human activity is a major cause of world temperature rise and ‘more frequent and intense extreme events’. ‘Climate change impacts and risks are becoming increasingly complex and more difficult to manage’. Threats to biodiversity and ecosystems are real and urgent. The window of opportunity for effective action to mitigate the effects of climate change is narrowing fast.
How can we do justice to all these issues against the background of a significant European war? How can we help people both to respond to the present crisis in appropriate ways and to remember that other issues are still present in God’s world?
Questions for discussion
In the UK we are more or less in the opposite corner of Europe from Ukraine but it is far from clear that the present war can be confined to Ukrainian territory. And Putin has described sanctions as tantamount to acts of war! How fearful should we properly be? How fearful are you? What comfort can we take from Psalm 27 and especially from the final verses (vv13-14)? How can we best ‘be strong’ and ‘take courage’ in dark times?
How, in the midst of war, can and should we respond to the increasingly stark warnings from the IPCC about the narrowing window for action on climate change? Some of the stories which came out of Germany about the holocaust during World War II were ignored or considered to be exaggeration; might future generations see the failures of this generation to deal with climate change in a similar light?
Dudley Coates in a local preacher in the Yeovil and Blackmore Vale Methodist Circuit and a former Vice President of the Methodist Conference.
Check-in
Connecting faith with everyday, real-life issues for young people
As the crisis in Ukraine has developed over the last couple of weeks, we have seen countless examples of those who refuse to leave their homes, choosing instead to remain and fight, to remain and report, and to remain and bring aid to those in need. The shouted warning from the Pharisees to Jesus echoes down the ages; ‘Get away from here, (the enemy) wants to kill you!’
We have seen how our core values affect our behaviour - some seek to grab what they can, while others are willing to sacrifice their comfort and personal safety for the wellbeing and protection of others. Closer to home, the values of our nation have been called into question as those seeking sanctuary have been turned away.
And what about us; do we remain firm, completing the mission God has given us, or do we run and hide? Will we take a stand against the injustice we see, or will we remain silenced?
Becky May is Founder of The Resources Cupboard
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