Container ship from Mt. Victoria, Devonport
Logistics noun the detailed organization and implementation of a complex operation. "the logistics of a large-scale rock show demand certain necessities"
In a globalized world economy, logisitics are very important. Getting goods around the world in a timely way during the Covid season has been more difficult. Now we are adding war and sanctions to the mix. I learned the other day how much of the world's wheat is exported from either Russia or Ukraine. It's a lot, an awful lot. Also, recently sanctioned Russia usually exports a significant portion of the world's supply of Potash, an important component of agricultural fertilisers. Let's not get started on oil and gas...
I'm guessing the logistics of dealing with all this are going to be very costly to ordinary folk around the world. The logistics of Putin's war and the brave Ukrainian response will also be costly in so many ways, in death and human suffering, the sheer scale of physical destruction. That it's not going to plan is cause for more worry about what Putin will do next with such massive, military fire-power.
The use of power by human beings is of great interest to us. There is always a narrative that surrounds it, a spin put on it. Putin's war is described as 'a special military operation' or something like that. Of course it is a brutal act of war, an invasion. Let's name it accurately. Totalitarian regimes require a propaganda machine to tell their lies, meanwhile keeping their own people in the dark, if that is even possible in an internet connected world.
We got used to an outpouring of lies and spin as we observed from afar the most recent election in what passes for American presidential democracy. It seems to continue. God alone knows the mind of the former president as he admires the slyness and cold brutality of Putin from afar. He imagined himself such a dictator perhaps....but more convivial, with cocktail parties and golf in Mar-a-Lago?
All this brings a reality check to recent protests of government over-reach and misuse of power in New Zealand. I can't see it. We got through the pandemic with more stability than most nations with relatively stable leadership and comprehensive logistics. The sudden public health response lurching into action from a historically run-down health system and small government sector was actually quite amazing to watch in my view.
Now the opposition have a reasonable leader according to the preferred type, we will see the usual polarised action resumed leading into our next election, the result for which will probably be achieved without the use of any missiles, for which I will be thankful. I'm praying for deeper conversations in this process, rather than the shallow points scoring we are currently seeing.
The logistics of running the country are not easy. We have good people on both sides of the aisle, along with a few 'passengers' as is typical with any large institution. Let's pray for them all.
I believe the prophetic task of the church going forward is to prayer for our nation, and if there is to be any prophetic word uttered, it should not be to cry for individual freedoms, but to highlight the cause of ordinary folk who will be heavily impacted from the economic fallout of Covid and a now globally significant conflict. Our prophetic action will be to serve the body and the needy in the community, as we are able by God's grace. Let us be a people of faith, hope and love.
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