Encouragement
Redemption
© 2009
by
Stephen A. Peterson
Marine Private Mack “Buster” Kahle lay in Walter Reed Army Hospital, his body wracked with pain, on Christmas Eve, with little to celebrate for. Four months earlier, Private Kahle was out on night patrol when a small roadside device blew off a toe and badly injured the rest of his left leg cause breaks in eight places. The quick, efficient reaction of his fellow Marines evacuated him from the area of conflict and into surgery that made it possible save his leg. Following surgery, the main problem was the inconvenience of the cast. But as the weeks went by, Private Kahle began to experience intense pain. After being in a cast a little more than six months, the cast was removed and the source of Private Kahle was revealed. It was a problem he never suspected. Somehow the cast had caused the bottom of his foot to be worn to the point that the skin had not healed.
“How did this happen?” thought Private Kahle.
“Let’s run some tests. I do, however, have suspicions as to what’s going on,” his primary physician said in an encouraging voice. “I just really want to be sure though. I don’t like guessing about situations such as this.”
Within two days, the results were back and not what Private Kahle or his physician wanted. Private Kahle had Type II Diabetes. Worse still was that the leg had to be amputated as gangrene had destroyed the tissue. Private Kahle was filled with rage and anger with findings and with his loss. Then his anger turned towards God.
“Why did God let this happen to me? I’ve always did what He wanted me to do! I go to church every week. I pray daily. I read a little bit of the Bible everyday and at times big parts of it. I give more than a tenth of whatever money and things I get. I help the poor, the sick and the troubled with my time, treasure and what talent I have. So why is God doing this to me? Why???”
As he lay in his hospital bed, he recalled that day he began his journey of faith as a Christian. His parents announced to him that they had decided to transfer him from public school to a private Catholic school. After a year, he decided to join the church. For him, that took care of his religious obligation. He prayed and was good to everybody around him. He came to learn, at least that is what he thought, every one else pretty much did. Private Kahle came to learn that God is to be feared if a person didn’t do what God wanted them to do. So he worked hard at doing any and every thing he believed God wanted him to do. He felt secure that he was highly favored by God. Everything, for the most part, went well in his life as a youth. He could not understand why, of a sudden, things were going so bad.
“Private Kahle,” a nurse said breaking his train of thought. “It’s time. The doctor did arrive to explain the procedure, expected outcomes, and rehabilitation program he could expect to be in. It was at that moment he lost his fear of God. Mentally, he began cursing God. As he was being put under anesthetics, he hoped that he might not wake up. Maybe God might take him and relieve him of his perceived misery. He knew he wasn’t the most religious person in the world and had sinned but he knew for sure that he didn’t deserve what was about to happen to him. That was for certain. And he was going to let God know that too!
At 6:35 AM he reluctantly began counting backward was all he could remember. The next event he remembered muddled sounds of laughter and the words, “I think he’s coming around. Good afternoon, Private Kahle. Call the doctor and tell him Private Kahle is awake,” a nurse said calmly.
Now months of mental and physical pain brought Private Kahle on the road to recovery. He received word that a man and his wife thankful for his service to the nation donated funds enough to purchase a prosthetic leg. Within 21 months, he was able to do much of what he had done before his losses. Now back home again in Oklahoma he was considered a hero. He received a small town parade, married his childhood sweetheart and secured a good paying job. Everything seemed to be going great for Mack Kahle. In a couple of months, he and his wife were going to have their first child. Ultrasound revealed child would be a girl. Mack and his wife were elated. They began furnishing a side room as a nursery to receive their little bundle of joy.
As Mack began assembling the baby bed, he began to experience a deep sharp pain in his back. At first, he thought it was the affects of having wolfed down a larger than normal meal of lasagna with a dozen dashes of Louisiana hot sauce. When he dropped to the floor, an ambulance was called to have him transported to an Oklahoma City hospital 85 miles away. The medical team determined Mack Kahle needed a liver transplant as soon as possible even though his medical problems posed an enormous risk to his life. Mack’s stress was increased when he was told following his medical evaluation that he would have to be approved of a transplant. He knew this was not a certainty because of his diabetes. And even if he was accepted for a transplant, he knew he would be placed on a waiting list. This could take months maybe even years. He also came to realize that if the transplant was made available to him, the operation may not result in success.
After ten days of waiting, Mack was accepted for the transplant list in spite of his diabetes. Though relieved, the waiting would be just as torturous. What could he do? He called God everything but “Holy”. “How could God be compassionate to me after I cussed Him, cursed Him and disowned Him?” He knew, though, that God IS the One who could extend his life on earth. Quietly, and with little fanfare, Mack made his peace with God.
Thirteen months following placement on a waiting list, the doctor called to tell him that a liver had been found. Mack took the news as a blessing from God and as a sign that He had forgiven him his indiscretions toward Him. Then as his elation settled, he realized someone had or would die. The doctor entered Mack’s room to inform him that a twenty-six year old woman, wife and mother of two will more than likely not survive beyond a day or two.
Mack spent the waking part of his day grieving over the thought that a young woman, wife and mother was dying that he may live. Also going through his mind was how the woman’s family must feel after being asked for their sacrifice of a vital organ their loved one. He, at that moment, prayed for their solace and comfort in their most difficult time. He thought less about himself ashamed that he had been unfaithful to God because of his problems. Perhaps he would survive this surgery. If he did, he promised he’d thank God and the woman and her family for their sacrifice. God, in His own way, had made him grateful and thankful for all that he had.
Six months following his transplant, the doctor who performed the surgery informed Mack that his body had miraculously accepted his new liver and that his rapid recovery, from a physical standpoint, was a miracle. The doctor’s report as well as the incidents leading to the moment made Mack realizes that indeed there is a compassionate, forgiving God who is bigger than any human indiscretion. When anyone asks, Mack tells them that God saved on the battlefield, gave him a new leg and a new liver to spread His Word, tell all there is nothing one can do wherein God will not forgive them and that they should prepare themselves for his eventual coming each and every day.
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
Reader Count & Comments
Date
The opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com. This is especially true with articles that
deal with personal healthcare and prophecy. We encourage the reader to make their own decision in consultation with God, His Word, and others as needed.
This article has been read 977 times < Previous | Next >
Read more articles by Stephen A. Peterson or search for other articles by topic below.
This article has been read 977 times < Previous | Next >
Search for articles on: (e.g. creation; holiness etc.)
Read more by clicking on a link:Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
NEW - Surprise Me With an Article - Click here for a random URL
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You
...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38
LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE
FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.