Divine Intervention for Clear Weather

While pondering some of the recent news coming out of Israel.  I was amazed at how many of the missiles targeting and making their way to Israel from Iran were blocked.  It astonished me how that the “Iron Dome” protected many lives in Israel.

It reminded me how we have our own Spiritual “Iron Dome” in being able to at any time call out to our loving Savior for “help when needed”.  “Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.” Hebrews 4:16 

The conflict that we call World War II has a moment that may inspire us to renew our confidence in God answering dependent, desperate prayer.

Seriously poor weather hindered air attacks in December of 1944.  This short recounting explains General Patton approaching one of the chaplains:

“Do you have a good prayer for the weather?” asked Patton. “We must do something about those rains if we are to win the war.” 

This was, of course, a highly unusual request, even from a character as unpredictable and quixotic as Patton.

O’Neill told Patton he would look for a suitable prayer. He couldn’t find one so he created his own, jotting it down on a card:

Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech Thee, of Thy great goodness, to restrain these immoderate rains with which we have had to contend. Grant us fair weather for Battle. Graciously hearken to us as soldiers who call upon Thee that, armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory to victory, and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies and establish Thy justice among men and nations. Amen.

On 14 December, the last of Patton’s 250,000 prayer cards were distributed to his men.  Thousands prayed and God blessed our troops with favorable weather and on December 23^rd the tide turned decisively in favor of the Allies.

By the end of January 1945, the battle would end in what Winston Churchill described as an “ever-famous American victory.”

Patton did not forget to thank his Chief Chaplain for his prayer.  

https://www.wwiimemorialfriends.org/blog/pattons-prayer

James 5:16  “…The intense (fervent) prayer of the righteous is very powerful.”

Thankful for a God who hears & acts upon fervent prayer, Pastor Larry