Psalm 91

While praying for the troops stationed overseas, with an emphasis on the ones who are members of our congregation, God gave me this vision. The thing is, I couldn't for the life of me draw a tank! I actually drew and erased tanks several times before becoming extremely frustrated. I took a moment to pray and it occurred to me that my friend Stefan could probably draw one without any problem, just then I looked up, and there he was. Yea! I asked him to help me out and he sat down and drew this tank, tucked it under God's hand so perfectly, and did it in just about two minutes! Thank God for Stefan!

So my vision became reality in the form of this picture, it is dedicated lovingly to our soldiers in the middle east. The impression I got when I saw this in my mind's eye is that God is lovingly protecting them all the time, sometimes in ways they realize and sometimes in ways they will never even know. I thank God for his loving protection and pray without ceasing for a continuation of that protection day after day, until they come home. The verses impressed on my heart to go with this picture are as follows:

Psalm 91

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

3 Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.

8 You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you make the Most High your dwelling— even the LORD, who is my refuge-

10 then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;

12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.

16 With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."

Psalm 97

10 Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

One of the soldiers in our church is now safely home, the original of this picture is a gift to him and his wife. It's kinda neat that the soldier, Nathan Way, is actually Stefan's brother-in-law, so it's perfect that Stefan helped draw it.

Thank you Nathan, and all the rest of our troops over there, for serving so faithfully. God bless you for protecting the weak, setting a Godly example for the troops under your command, and being a true-blue good and faithful servant in this way.

With love and thanks,
~Jess