The temperature rose quickly that morning as my platoon made its way across the trail to the Viet Cong base camp. Three days earlier, we hit the camp as dawn broke, catching them completely by surprise, meeting much less resistance than expected. These were mostly local guerrilla fighters. Only a few fought back and were quickly eliminated.

It was my idea to go back to destroy the tunnels and supplies left there so they could not be used again. As we came to an open area where several trails came together, I stopped the patrol and worked my way across the field, checking for booby-traps. As I stood at the trailhead, something hit my leg, fell at my feet, and instantly my world changed forever.

The explosion threw me several feet into the air and I landed in a heap. In shock, struggling to my feet, two bullets slammed into me, throwing me back to the ground. I rolled over onto my back as a North Vietnamese soldier plunged his bayonet into my stomach. I was in total shock, fear and adrenaline pushing me to get up and away from the trail. I took a few steps, fell, took several more, and finally I collapsed to the ground.

As I lay there, pain hit my entire body unlike anything I had experienced the other times I was wounded. I looked up into a beautiful blue sky, wanting the pain to go and finally give in to fate, tired of all the fighting and dying. I just wanted it to be over.

Suddenly, two sets of hands grabbed me and began dragging me across the field. Now I was really afraid. No, not afraid — I was terrified! If the communists had me, my pain had only begun, knowing what they do to their wounded prisoners. But then I heard the voice of my 21-year-old Navy Corpsman as he tried to calm my fears. He said over and over: “I’ve got you! I’ve got you!” My fears melted away.

Just over a week ago, the world celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ, one of the greatest events in human history. Jesus lived a life in human flesh, yet was wholly God. He died a criminal’s death, first being beaten beyond recognition and then being crucified via the most brutal method devised by man: death on a wooden cross. As he hung suspended between heaven and earth, he whispered, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” He breathed his last breath and said, “It is finished.”

What was finished was the power of sin and death to hold us in bondage to our sins, to our past failures and painful experiences. In essence, Jesus was saying to you and me, I’ve got you! He died for all the sins we had or ever will commit, whether we accept it or not. After years of emotional turmoil and bondage to sin, Jesus saved me. This time, he had me forever!

We live in a world with suffering, pain, fear, rejection, addiction, disappointment, and hopelessness. Please let my words find a place in your hopelessness. Jesus paid the price for your sins. Surrender your life to him. Hear his voice say: I’ve got you! I’ve got you! Nothing in this life will ever cause you to feel hopeless again.

Something to pray about!
Semper Fidelis