His Story in Europe

Today the European Union will be extended to 25 member states. According to some commentators this happening marks 'the definite end of the Cold War' and 'a new dawn for Europe'. I don't share this unbridled europtimism, but I do have faith in God's plans. Let me share a little anecdote on the history of Europe.

When I was in highschool in the early eighties, I had to do an exam in contemporary European history. Answering one of the questions I wrote down that in 1949 'the world witnessed the definite division of Germany'. When my teacher returned the exam, I noticed he had placed a screaming red remark in the margin saying 'Mr. Van der Woude, in history NOTHING is definite!' It cost me one point, but I learned a valuable lesson.

Later, when I studied history at university, I decided to take on an advanced course in 'Pan-Russian Nationalism'. This was Autumn 1988. My professor, who was a specialist in East-European history, foresaw that communism would be the dominant force for at least another decade. Only nine months later history proved him wrong. Hungary allowed the first holes in the Iron Curtain, which led to a sudden escalation of events. The wall literally came down, one nation af the other tasted freedom, Germany was united again, and in Czechoslovakia the main dissident became the nation's president. We know that behind the scenes praying Christians have been a key influence in this historic turn-around in Europe.

Today marks a next historic step, though less dramatic: former communist Europe joins the European Union. I don't know whether it's a good or a bad thing. Will the EU develop towards a strong central government, or a weak federation that will sooner or later be torn apart by national interests? Whatever the course, I'm pretty sure the future of Europe is partly in the hands of the intercessors. If history is really His Story, and nothing is definite, God wants to use us to co-write it according to His redemptive purposes.

Comments

[Jeff Fountain]

Nice illustration!:
When I was in highschool in the early eighties, I had to do an exam in contemporary European history. Answering one of the questions I wrote down that in 1949 'the world witnessed the definite division of Germany'. When my teacher returned the exam, I noticed he had placed a screaming red remark in the margin saying 'Mr. Van der Woude, in history NOTHING is definite!' It cost me one point, but I learned a valuable lesson.