Quote from Forum Archives on May 1, 2003, 3:13 pm

Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>

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The Burning Bush Devotional
(Over 8,000 subscribers in 75 countries)

05.01.03

Divine Providence

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything
according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us,
whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of
Him. - I John 5:14-15.

In recognition of today being the National Day of Prayer in the United
States I want to share with you a story about prayer from the beginnings of
this country. My wife's three great grandfather Samuel Robinson Evans wrote
a nine-page narrative of his father's (James Evans) service during the
Revolutionary War. One particular story speaks powerfully of the value of
prayer and God's ability in accordance with His will to protect His
children. Here is the story as it was written:

"In the biography of General Lincoln you will find an account of the attempt
to hang a soldier by the name of Ficklin and his miraculous escape. Father
was one of the guards on duty that occasion.."

"On the morning that Ficklin was to be hung he told the guards that his
savior came to him in the night and told him he should not be hung. They
took him out to a stooping tree and the rope was tied to the limb or tree.
Then two men raised up Ficklin, and the officer put the rope around his
neck. At a signal the men let loose and Ficklin fell on his feet unhurt.
He says the rope untwisted. The cry for mercy was very great but the
adjutant who had control ordered him to be a second time haltered. Ficklin
was a second time haltered and again the rope broke without hurting him in
the least."

"Here Father says he never saw such a sudden flash of mutiny with any
preconsent. The thing as he expressed it was terrible. Muskets and
bayonets rattled, the guard gathered the adjutant with their guns presented
at him and swore that if Ficklin was not pardoned instantly there should not
be a commanding officer in one hour. The Adjutant begged time to gallop to
headquarters as he had it not in his power to pardon him. He was permitted
to do so by promising to bring his pardon which he did."

"After I moved to Georgia, I became acquainted with John Neilly.He stated he
was present and likewise corroborated Father's tale most minutely and gave
me further particulars respecting the affair.. Mr. Neilly says Ficklin was
a very religious young man and had been several days on the sick list and
had retired some little distance from the camp to pray when he found some
wild greens.. He would retire every day to the same place to pray and to
gather some greens. A soldier who had been watching him accused him of
attempting to desert to the British camp then only two miles apart on the
opposite side of the river. The order was struck."

"Mr. Neilly also states that two weeks after the transaction (the attempted
hanging) the same man who had sworn against Ficklin was accused and found to
be guilty of being a British spy and he says he saw him hung and heard him
confess he had sworn Ficklins life away wrongfully. Ficklins was again
suffered to join the army and continued in it till the end of the war; and
in the year 1840 was still living in the state of Georgia."

"I have lengthened the record on this case you may think to an unreasonably
long one, but you will excuse me when I inform you it was done with a view
to call to your mind the great miraculous power of divine providence, and
that you may rank this as one of the most striking interpositions of
providence perhaps you will ever become acquainted with. You see the
substance of what I write as I said before in the biography of General
Lincoln which I request you all to read and meditate on the infinite
goodness of God for although he seldom shows such miracles, he is always
able to protect us."

Copyright © 2003. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
on a non-profit basis with source credited.

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