God Protects A Singing Soldier From A Sniper

Dale Byers
NO OTHER REFUGE
Psalm 142:5
I cried unto thee, O Lord:
I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.
Charles Wesley penned the words of a hymn which some have stated is the best hymn ever written. That may be a matter of opinion, but the words of “Jesus, Lover of My Soul” communicates a message of security and assurance. Some years after the Civil War, old soldiers from both the Union and Confederate armies met together. A former Confederate told how he was sent to pick off an exposed Union sentry. As he aimed his gun at the sentry, he heard him singing, Jesus, Lover of My Soul. It is reported that he began to sing the second verse, “Other refuge have I none; Hangs my helpless soul on Thee; Leave, ah! Leave me not alone, still support and comfort me. All my trust on Thee is stayed, All my help from Thee I bring; Cover my defenseless head With the shadow of Thy wing.” The Confederate didn’t care if the sentry was Union enemy or not; he just couldn’t bring himself to shoot, and he lowered his gun. An old Union soldier stood up and asked if that happened in the Atlanta Campaign of 1864. It had. The old Union man said he was that sentry. He told how he had been depressed and fearful when assigned to the isolated sentry post and had begun to sing the hymn to keep his courage up, little realizing how it had saved his life.
“Cover my defenseless head.” How those words describe our helplessness. To have confidence in himself would have brought the ruin of the sentry, but his song of fear and his cry for help provided a safe refuge. How eager our enemy is to destroy us. How helpless we are in the face of the fiery darts of the wicked, but Christ is a safe retreat. Have you ever heard the cry of a wounded bird? Most people think that rabbits cannot make a noise, but as a hunter, I have heard first hand their pitiful wail. If God’s eye is on the sparrow, do you think that He does not care for us in our needs? God’s ears are open to our cry and He is our only sure place of refuge. What security we have in the presence of our Lord. We need not be ashamed of our fear or our need for His mercy.
It may be that you are facing some major enemy such as cancer, open heart surgery, or even death. For some, their frightful foe may be a business failure or the outcome of a decision to be made by another person that will alter life. We are confronted with enemies of every description. Put your trust in the Living God! The most important thing in your life is to trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior (Romans 10:9-13). His eye is on the sparrow, and his ears are open to our faintest cry. He not only sympathizes with us in our fears, He is of such almighty power as to help us over our enemies. “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deut. 33:27). His ears are open to the cry of His children and His arms are underneath our frail, sinking ships.
He is able to cover thy defenseless head; and if the shadow of His wings is our shelter, what more do we require? What a great God He is, and He cares for you. Remember, God does love you, and so do we.
* Blogsite for past articles: http://dalebyers.wordpress.com/ <http://dalebyers.wordpress.com/>
Psalm 142:5
I cried unto thee, O Lord:
I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.
Charles Wesley penned the words of a hymn which some have stated is the best hymn ever written. That may be a matter of opinion, but the words of “Jesus, Lover of My Soul” communicates a message of security and assurance. Some years after the Civil War, old soldiers from both the Union and Confederate armies met together. A former Confederate told how he was sent to pick off an exposed Union sentry. As he aimed his gun at the sentry, he heard him singing, Jesus, Lover of My Soul. It is reported that he began to sing the second verse, “Other refuge have I none; Hangs my helpless soul on Thee; Leave, ah! Leave me not alone, still support and comfort me. All my trust on Thee is stayed, All my help from Thee I bring; Cover my defenseless head With the shadow of Thy wing.” The Confederate didn’t care if the sentry was Union enemy or not; he just couldn’t bring himself to shoot, and he lowered his gun. An old Union soldier stood up and asked if that happened in the Atlanta Campaign of 1864. It had. The old Union man said he was that sentry. He told how he had been depressed and fearful when assigned to the isolated sentry post and had begun to sing the hymn to keep his courage up, little realizing how it had saved his life.
“Cover my defenseless head.” How those words describe our helplessness. To have confidence in himself would have brought the ruin of the sentry, but his song of fear and his cry for help provided a safe refuge. How eager our enemy is to destroy us. How helpless we are in the face of the fiery darts of the wicked, but Christ is a safe retreat. Have you ever heard the cry of a wounded bird? Most people think that rabbits cannot make a noise, but as a hunter, I have heard first hand their pitiful wail. If God’s eye is on the sparrow, do you think that He does not care for us in our needs? God’s ears are open to our cry and He is our only sure place of refuge. What security we have in the presence of our Lord. We need not be ashamed of our fear or our need for His mercy.
It may be that you are facing some major enemy such as cancer, open heart surgery, or even death. For some, their frightful foe may be a business failure or the outcome of a decision to be made by another person that will alter life. We are confronted with enemies of every description. Put your trust in the Living God! The most important thing in your life is to trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior (Romans 10:9-13). His eye is on the sparrow, and his ears are open to our faintest cry. He not only sympathizes with us in our fears, He is of such almighty power as to help us over our enemies. “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deut. 33:27). His ears are open to the cry of His children and His arms are underneath our frail, sinking ships.
He is able to cover thy defenseless head; and if the shadow of His wings is our shelter, what more do we require? What a great God He is, and He cares for you. Remember, God does love you, and so do we.
* Blogsite for past articles: http://dalebyers.wordpress.com/ <http://dalebyers.wordpress.com/>