Healthy Living

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Sergeant Mike
© 2008

by

Stephen A. Peterson


Sergeant Mike, as everyone called him, had just undergone surgery to remove small pieces of metal lodged in his back and arms as a result of a roadside bomb. He was now alone in the recovery section of the Medical Aide Station Hospital (MASH) to think through what had recently happened to him. He and his squad of ten men were very fortunate while on patrol in a Baghdad neighborhood. No one was killed but two hurt. He being the more serious of the two. Sergeant Mike had faced and seen death before but it had always been the death of a fellow soldier—not his own, as military conflicts go.

At some point during his thought processes, Sergeant Mike realized that losing a fellow soldier’s life seemed much more threatening to him than his own personal death. Lifting his inured arm above his head, he wondered why this was so. Then he remembered that each time he and his squad go out on a mission, he would ask himself: “Am I prepared to stand before Jesus Christ to receive His judgment?” His immediate response is: “Yes! Yes, I am. I am ready to meet the Lord without fear of His judgment.”

With his readiness for death, Sergeant Mike believed he had nothing to fear during the course of his daily living. He felt he could live his life without fear or worry upon his physical death whenever or wherever that may be. As soldiers and military doctors passed Sergeant Mike’s bed, he had the biggest smile or his face when a nurse came by to give him his breakfast.

An injured soldier in a nearby bed turned over to see Sergeant Mike. “Dang, man! Why are you lying there smiling? Didn’t you come out of surgery just a while ago?”

“Hooah!” returned Sergeant Mike.

“Aren’t you in pain and ticked off about your injuries?” responded the unknown soldier.

Then Sergeant Mike responded: “Not at all! I’m in the Hand of the Master! He promised that no one, not even death, can take me out of them. That makes me feel safe and secure. So why should I be ticked off? Yeah, I’m in some pain, but my pain is overshadowed by the sense of security I feel by Jesus being right here, right with now with me!”

“Man, you are freakin’ crazy! I’ve never heard anybody talk like you,” said the unknown soldier. But after a few minutes of thought. “Hey, Sarge! How do I get as happy as you and not be worried about stuff?”

“Just accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. He’ll change your life. I mean it! You’ll see! You will have a change in how you see life and living!”

“Really,” said the unknown soldier.

“Yes, really!” returned Sergeant Mike.

Sergeant Mike and the unknown soldier prayed a simple prayer of acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. At the same moment they prayed, the unknown soldier felt a change he had never before felt.

“Wow,” he said. “This feeling is a great. I feel as though a great burden has fallen from me. You’re right. I really don’t feel any fear of where I will spend my eternity when death comes. Thanks, Sarge! Why didn’t somebody tell me about this before? As soon as I get better and outta here, I’m gonna talk to my buddies about Jesus Christ. Yeah, this is a great feeling!”

As the unknown soldier stated: “Why didn’t somebody tell me?” There are many, many men and women out there who long for answers in their lives. You, as a Christian, have THE answers! It doesn’t take much. Just a little happiness on your part and Jesus’ assurances stated to others. So what are you waiting for?

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