Psalm 91Military: God's Shield of Protection

Excerpt from Psalm 91 Military Edition: God's Shield of Protection

"A Hunting Trip Turned Dangerous"

Staff Sergeant Heath Adams had gone hunting with Jeff, one of his Air Force buddies. Upon seeing a coyote, Jeff traded places with Heath and jumped in the passenger seat of the pickup for a better view. Since the bi-pod on his rifle was longer than the gun barrel, he couldn’t put the barrel down so he rested the 30-06 rifle between his legs, facing up. Somehow the jostling of the pickup caused the gun to fire, sending a 180 grain bullet through his chest and arm pit. Jeff started screaming he had been hit and to Heath’s dismay, he saw a bloody mass of muscle and tissue. The concussion from the blast alone was so strong it blew out the back window. In an instant Heath pulled off his jacket, put it under Jeff’s arm and then applied pressure to the arm and chest wound in an effort to stop the bleeding. Simultaneously, holding pressure against Jeff’s arm, gripping the steering wheel to hold it steady as he drove rapidly on the icy road, and searching for service with his cell phone—all without mishap—was nothing short of a miracle.

Heath was able to get through with his cell phone to the 911 dispatcher, but he still had to drive the 22 mile stretch to the nearest town. That, too, may have been part of God’s plan because it gave him time to declare God’s promise from Psalm 91. Heath said later that he was not about to let Jeff die because Jeff was not born again and he was determined no flaming arrow of the enemy was going to take his buddy out before he made Jesus the Lord of his life. The whole ordeal was miraculous as Jeff underwent six hours of surgery and came out with no permanent damage.

God was certainly at work that day. Normally it would have been disastrous to drive 50-60 mph on an icy, Montana road in December—especially while steering left handed during a life and death situation. But Heath said no matter how fast he drove, God gave the pickup enough traction that never once was there even a hint of the wheels sliding. Later they went back to the same place, and try as they might, they could not get cell phone service anywhere in that 22 mile trek. Of course, the biggest miracle of all was that a bullet wound through the chest and arm neither hit a vital organ nor damaged his arm beyond repair. (I might also add that Jeff was blessed beyond words to have been with someone who knew and loved God and held fast to God’s word.)

© 2006, Peggy Joyce Ruth
http://www.peggyjoyceruth.org