大象传媒

A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Alexandra Drew

Good morning.

When the Soviet Union invaded Germany in the 1940s, my uncles were just boys in shorts. But even today, they recall the terror, the losses, the hunger, and the very long walk from East Prussia to Northern Germany.

Now in their 80s, my uncles, like many older people around the world, delight in the simple things like butter, sugar, and second helpings, as though they were still in short trousers. And they detest violence, injustice, and quite frankly, walking anywhere at all.

So much is lost in times of war. For those who were there 鈥� wherever there was - it鈥檚 impossible to forget 鈥� it鈥檚 formed who they are in so many ways, that they don鈥檛 need a special day to remember.

But for those of us, who didn鈥檛 fear for our lives, or sleep with aching bellies, it鈥檚 a time to give thanks for the service, the sacrifice, and the selflessness of those who died for the freedoms, and the simple pleasures like butter, sugar, and second helpings, that we, and the children of yesterday鈥檚 wars, now get to enjoy.

In the Bible, we can find these words 鈥淕reater love has no-one than this, than to lay down one鈥檚 life for another鈥�.

So, heavenly father, I thank you for all those who have worked and fought for peace in our world, and especially for those who lost their lives in doing so. Thank you for their sacrificial love. We honour their courage and cherish their memory.

For the children of wars, young and old today, Lord, thank you that you brought them to safety. Help them and us to live lives worthy of the tremendous sacrifices made. For those in the midst of war today I pray for peace.

Amen.

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