Day 180: Protector

As a physician, my mission is to be the protector of life for the troops that I am serving with. Although I'm not the one pulling the trigger nor am I the one planning the aggressive operations, I'm the one who makes life-or-death decisions when someone is seriously injured, I'm the one who has seen, up close and personal, the physical consequences of war, I'm the one who keeps an eye out for those who may be suffering from combat stress, I'm the one who ensures that the soldiers are trained up on basic first aid, I'm the one who ensures that every contingency operation has appropriate medical personnel/equipment, I'm the one who has eyes on every soldier's overall state of health. From that perspective, I see myself as the "protector" of the troops and that makes my job extremely rewarding. But, taking on the role of "protector" means not only taking on the physical ailments and injuries of my fellow troops, but also their mental stresses and emotional vulnerabilities that they experience from being in a deployed environment. Insomnia, depression, familial problems, post traumatic stress, anxiety...the list goes on, and daily do I have to muster up the strength to tackle those issues over and over again. This is all amplified by the fact that no one around you knows what that really feels like. That's where my job can get tough. That's where the "protector" needs to be protected!

One of my friends pointed me to Psalms 144, in light of the recently delivered "air mail", as a source of encouragement. It's a beautiful Psalm and a reminder that I serve a God who protects his people...even those who may forget that they need protecting. I hope this passage will encourage you in your own personal battles, and be a simple reminder that those battles are never fought alone.

PSALMS 144

Blessed be the LORD my Rock,
Who trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle—
My lovingkindness and my fortress,
My high tower and my deliverer,
My shield and the One in whom I take refuge,
Who subdues my people under me.

LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him?
Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him?
Man is like a breath;
His days are like a passing shadow.

Bow down Your heavens, O LORD, and come down;
Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
Flash forth lightning and scatter them;
Shoot out Your arrows and destroy them.
Stretch out Your hand from above;
Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters,
From the hand of foreigners,
Whose mouth speaks lying words,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

I will sing a new song to You, O God;
On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,
The One who gives salvation to kings,
Who delivers David His servant
From the deadly sword.

Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners,
Whose mouth speaks lying words,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood—
That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth;
That our daughters may be as pillars,
Sculptured in palace style;
That our barns may be full,
Supplying all kinds of produce;
That our sheep may bring forth thousands
And ten thousands in our fields;
That our oxen may be well laden;
That there be no breaking in or going out;
That there be no outcry in our streets.
Happy are the people who are in such a state;
Happy are the people whose God is the LORD!