I was reminded of one of your stories as I wrote this, of how God kept your heart beating when you cried out to Him. Even though you didn’t know Him, He saved you and protected you.
Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident.
Psalm 27:3
David’s confidence in the Lord’s protection was built through his experiences at war, the Lord had never failed to protect him. Why should he fear, when he has seen the Lord’s salvation time and again? Through trial and adversity, war and conflicts, God provided for and protected him.
When I reflect back to my own time and experience in war, I can relate to David. Though I did not know Him yet, I knew He was my only hope and I cried out to Him. It was years after my time in war that I gave my life to God, but the lessons I learned there will never be forgotten.
War taught me to pray, to trust Him, to be afraid of nothing and to fear God alone. Time after time, I was placed in harm’s way and delivered from it. We faced death daily at times, but God miraculously protected us. I parked on a large explosive that the enemy failed to detonate as they watched us from the hills. I lay on a rooftop in the kill radius of artillery that dropped as the shrapnel hissed overhead. For half a night we were hunted in the dark, but the enemy never found us.
Roadside bombs missed our convoy or failed to detonate, bullets missed us as we trekked up mountainsides. Mortars missed us day and night, every plan of the enemy was thwarted. God taught me not to fear, I refuse to fear because I know now that He is able to deliver. He protected me even though I did not know Him yet, I cried out to Him earnestly and He answered. How much more now that I know Him should I be unafraid? How much more should I walk in confidence, knowing my God is with me?
The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1
