Ukraine: Five reflections on the war

What do you make of the conflict in Ukraine? Its presence feels like the "new normal". Should we be bored, interested, concerned or even frightened? Let me offer five reflections.

1. What the Bible says
   
   Jesus said there will be “wars and rumours of wars” (Mark 13v7), and spring is the time “when kings go off to war” (1 Samuel 11v1). Battles are so well known that we urge one another, “Fight the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6v12). The relative peace of the last 70 years has been unusual in historical terms but Jesus told us, “Love your neighbour as yourself” (Mark 12v31) and that can apply to a country in need.
   
   We know that Jesus, “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9v6), says “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5v9) and “he himself is our peace”, reconciling enemies “through the cross” (Ephesians 2v14, 16) – whether Jew, Gentile or “Scythian” (Ukrainian; Colossians 3v11). As a gospel people, “God is our refuge and strength” even when familiar borders and landmarks move (“mountains fall into the heart of the sea”; Psalm 46).
   
   
2. What the news reports
   
   On 24 February 2022, as martial law was imposed to keep men for fighting, many women and children fled. One million went through the Polish border in the first week. (The numbers soon surpassed the estimated two million Hebrews under Moses leaving Egypt.)
   
   Since then, standing with Ukraine is regarded as one of the few agreed causes in Western political life. But people differ on the detail.
   
   Some perspectives are too narrow, claiming that the war is just nations scrapping over land (ignoring daily Russian war crimes of targeting civilians, torturing prisoners, and gassing soldiers). Other angles are too wide, claiming that millions have died (although Ukraine has seen 70,000 soldiers die with 400,000 injured; while Russian forces have four times the death toll and double the injuries). And some approaches are simply wrong, such as Russia saying that Ukraine started the war, or that Russia cannot be beaten (when it lost to Japan in 1905, was defeated by Germany in 1914-18, and was pushed out of Afghanistan in 1989), or that tyrants are secure (tell that to Syria’s Assad).