Daily Lesson for October 27, 2015

Today's Daily Lesson comes from Psalm 45 verses 3 through

3 Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one,
in your splendor and majesty!
4 In your majesty ride out victoriously
for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness;
let your right hand teach you awesome deeds!

Last night I had the honor of emceeing a fundraising event for veterans and introducing Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. Leroy Petry and Col. Jim Ficke, who served as a combat doctor in the Afghanistan.

The Bible says, "Give honor to those whom honor is due," and certainly Sgt. Petry is a person of great honor. He was awarded the Medal for his act of heroism under fire in Afghanistan.  After having already been wounded in his legs, Petry reached to throw back a grenade which had been tossed by enemy combatants. The grenade went off just as Petry was throwing it back. The act saved his and his comrades lives, but cost him his hand. Petry then put a tourniquet on his own arm and refused to be medevaced until the enemy was defeated.  Dr. Ficke was the Army field doctor who operated on Sgt. Petry later that day.

Upon meeting Dr. Ficke prior to the program last night, I reached out and grabbed both his hands and said, "God has blessed your hands, doctor." He then reached into the breast pocket of his coat and pulled out a small card which had written on it ten principles he said he lives by.  Number 9 on the list said this: "God's gift to you are your hands; your gift to Him is what you do with them."

That's what you call a God thing.

I shared that story with those at the event.  I then looked over at Sgt. Petry's prosthetic right hand. "Sgt. Petry," I said, "God's gift to were your hands; your gift to Him is what you have done and what you continue to do with them."

The Psalm has come true. The warrior's right hand has indeed taught us awesome deeds -- deeds of service and sacrifice and honor.