“Sniper” and “combat soldier” – When you think about these military roles, what comes to mind? Perhaps blockbuster movies with a character tortured by a guilt complex, a stone-cold killer with sociopathic tendencies, or a veteran with violent PTSD-driven outbursts drowning himself in a bottle of whiskey as his wife begs him to get help.
Most of us will never meet a real-life sniper or combat soldier with a history of kills to ask them taboo questions: How does it feel to take a life? How many people have you killed? Do you suffer from PTSD?
In Israel, the number of IDF soldiers who had PTSD in 2020 was about 5,500. As soldiers set off to war on October 7th, that number steadily grew, with experts predicting a high post-war surge. With news of soldiers committing suicide and being released from their army duty over “mental and emotional distress,” my heart went out to them, and I wondered what I could do to help.
One day, I was given the opportunity as I was about to get off the light rail in Jerusalem....
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“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not in your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path.” Prov. 3:5,6. Helped me through it over 50 years ago, we aren’t promised a rose garden, but the Lord promised He would walk through it with us.
Psalm 17:6-15. It says in Zechariah 2:8 …for whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye. In other words the one who seeks to do harm to Israel will end up being confronted with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the same God who watches over Israel for His purpose.
The Bible reveals to us what God has planned for the nation of Israel and how that will impact on the whole world.
How did the armies of Israel in days gone by protect/defend their nation after they had cried out to their God ? We read the answers in the OT of our Bibles. The same is still true for Israel in our time.
When our thinking lines up with what God has to say about Israel then we will understand what our eyes are seeing and what our ears are hearing.
Oh Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob pour out your Grace and Mercy on all IDF soldiers and their families that many may see Your “Salvation”.