From Ira Kapitonova in Kyiv (Day 440):
I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted,
and will execute justice for the needy.
Psalm 140:12
God is good even when the circumstances are trying. Last night, Russians launched missiles at Ukraine. It was their attempt at a big show on the eve of their Victory Day, the cornerstone of their wicked ideology. However, with God’s grace, our air-defense forces prevented them from rejoicing at the expense of our grief. They shot down 8 Kalibr missiles and 15 cruise missiles Kh-101/Kh-555 (2 more missiles were not shot down, but they didn’t cause much damage) – an amazing result that is possible thanks to the variety of modern technologies provided to Ukraine by our allies. I shiver at the thought of how many lives these missiles could have taken and keep thanking God.
The longer this war continues, the harder it is not to let your heart get hardened, but then you see the parents of a fallen hero telling others not to let the darkness overcome them but focus on filling each day with love and life, calling on others to find their way of bringing light into this world. His mother says, “It takes great courage to turn death into life, darkness into light, and choose eternal irresistible love!” And that’s when you realize that this is the least we can do to defeat the enemy – they want to rob us of our joy, to destroy our ability to love, to kill our desire to live, so we must resist on all levels, no matter where we are. Otherwise, they win even if they are defeated on the battlefield.
Lord, help us keep choosing love even in the darkest times.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:2
Voice of Ukraine 
2 responses to “5/10/2023: “Lord, help us keep choosing love even in the darkest times””
Psalm 58
1 Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?
2 Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.
3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.
4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;
5 Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.
6 Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O Lord.
7 Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces.
8 As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun.
9 Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.
10 The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.
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Psalm 59
1 Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me.
2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men.
3 For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Lord.
4 They run and prepare themselves without my fault: awake to help me, and behold.
5 Thou therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah.
6 They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.
7 Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear?
8 But thou, O Lord, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision.
9 Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defence.
10 The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies.
11 Slay them not, lest my people forget: scatter them by thy power; and bring them down, O Lord our shield.
12 For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak.
13 Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be: and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth. Selah.
14 And at evening let them return; and let them make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.
15 Let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not satisfied.
16 But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.
17 Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy.
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