In preparation for my Sunday
morning Bible study in 1 Thessalonians, I checked to see if the ancient city of
Thessalonica still exists. It does, but it’s now called. Thessaloniki, and it
is the second-largest city in northern Greece. The access to several waterways
makes it a major trade route. The Danube, located to the north of Thessaloniki,
is the second largest river in Europe. The Danube begins in Germany and empties into the Black Sea in Ukraine.
While I looked at the map, I was excited to see how close
Thessaloniki is to Ukraine. The distance is about 688 nautical miles.
History has it that Apostle Andrew, brother to the
Apostle Peter, traveled to the current Ukraine. Legend says he arrived in Kyiv around AD 55. The
Apostle Andrew didn’t travel nautically, so it must have taken him months to
get there. He preached as he went. The Radziwill Chronicle reports he built
a cross and predicted a great Christian city
would exist there. Stories of Andrew’s missionary visit grew extensive in
history.
Hmmm.
Is his journey legend or fact?
Andrew
is known as one who was always bringing people to Jesus.
Jesus
told his disciples to “go and make disciples of all nations…” Matthew 28:16-20.
NIV
And
they did.
The
18th-century Church of St. Andrew is supposedly constructed where
Andrew’s cross was located on the hill dominating the overlook to the city of
Kyiv, and current Ukraine reports say about 60% of the country is Christian.
Ukraine
is fighting for her life these days, but the tiny nation’s fight with Russia is
one to make the history books. Putin, Russia’s
president since 2012, wishes to make Ukraine a part of Russia once more. Russia
is a Goliath to that little Ukraine, but no one can deny the mighty patriotism
of the Ukrainians.
Peoples
of the world are divided in thought about what to do with these global crises.
No one wants WWIII. One of the students in my Bible study asked, “Why didn’t
the president of Ukraine just sign the country over to Putin? None of the
killing would have taken place?”
Free
people wish to remain free. That’s why.
Would
we in America want to sign away our nation? Our freedom?
I
hope not. But then, these days, I’m not sure. It seems to me there are too many
who welcome socialist policies.
Contemporary Americans have always known freedom and have no idea what
living in a socialist or communist country entails.
Ukraine
hasn’t always been free. Their citizens know the difference and are willing to
die to keep what they had.
I
hope the Apostle Andrew is the one who brought Christianity to Ukraine. He, or
whoever did, will have many rewards for preaching the Gospel in distant lands. I’m happy there are no tears in heaven.
Andrew would be sad up there if he knew what was happening to the citizens of
Ukraine.
Pray
for Ukraine.
#Ukraine
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