Troops

The excerpt below from the NY Times article Medic Aids Fallen Marine With Skill and a Prayer was posted for a few reasons.

1) It just reminded me of how little I pray for our troops. The question posed to the reporter is one that I could hear the soldier asking me: "Do you pray? Do that. I'd appreciate it."

2) The images of blood and death are commonly found in the Bible and remind us that we all will perish according to plans of our Providential Sustainer. There is no such thing as an untimely death in God's eyes, so do not fear those that hurt your body, but fear Him who judges impartially according to each man's works.

3) How far will we go to protect the innocent and administer God's Kingdom of peace and righteousness on the Earth? I recently read an article in the times about child slavery in Africa. I've drafted a post asking the question "How does the doctrine of 'Justification by Faith Alone' impact the Christian's life, such that they're encouraged to get involved with this issue?" I am personally convicted that I fall so short of any sincere, deep desire to speak up or dedicate time such issues. Thus I feel inadequate to publish the drafted blog post. The Medic article is convicting as well.

Anyway, here's my original post from this morning - that which was written before I penned my thoughts, above...

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He looked at the reporter beside him. “Do you pray?” he asked. “Do that. I’d appreciate it.” ...

He sat quietly again. A few minutes passed. “The first casualty we had here — his name was James Hirlston — he was his good friend.”

“Hirlston got shot in the head, too,” he said.

He said something about Iraqi snipers that could not be printed here.

Then he was back to the subject of Lance Corporal Smith.

“I really thank God that he was breathing when I got to him, because it means that I can do something with him,” he said. “It helps. People ask you, ‘What are you doing? What are you doing?’ It helps, because if he’s breathing, you’re doing something.”

...

He paused. “Smith is my friend.”

He looked at his bloody hands. “You got some water?” he said. “I want some water. I just want to wash my wedding band.”

“Thou shall not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day,” said the big marine, Lance Cpl. Daniel B. Nicholson. “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.”

“Help us Lord,” he said. “We need your help. It’s the only way we’re going to get through this.”

From Medic Aids Fallen Marine With Skill and a Prayer (NY Times)