GOD, FOG, AND FREEDOM

Here's but one example why I believe God had His intervening hand involved in the founding of our nation: It was the first great battle of the Revolutionary War, the largest to that time fought on our continent and a crushing defeat for the rag-tag Continental army. General Washington and his army had retreated and now were in a dire predicament: Trapped with Brooklyn and the British army in front of them and the East River to their backs, all were waiting for the wind to change from the northeast, at which change the British warships would sail up the river and bombard the Continental soldiers into oblivion or total surrender. There would have been no United States today. But, the wind would not stop blowing. The conditions worsened with the skies growing ever darker, the temperature plunging, and the rains falling. An assessment of the situation concluded that in staying put defeat was inevitable, and, besides surrender, the only possible but improbable option for the Continental army was retreat over the East River to New York. If the storm lifted, the British army on its front would notice the retreat and immediately attack, destroying the army as the British ships moved up behind ending any attempt of escape. The colonies would return to the rule of Tyranny. But, as the next day dawned, the storm continued as arrangements were made for escape and boats collected. Time came to begin the retreat across the river. At that time, the rain stopped. In the darkness of night at eleven, the winds died making possible ferrying over the river the many soldiers on small, overloaded boats . The boatmen worked feverishly all night, but there were just so many soldiers. By day break, when inevitably the British would observe the retreat and attack, a huge part of the army was still stranded on the Brooklyn shore. But, just as the night that had concealed them was lifting, a heavy fog fell upon them. It was as difficult to see in the morning as it had been in the night. Even as the sun climbed higher and higher and should have burned off the fog, the fog held on, covering the retreat. Amazingly, just a short distance on the other side of the East River where the Continental troops were disembarking on the New York bank, there was no fog. The sun was brightly shining. Just minutes after the last of America's troops had escaped from Brooklyn and marched onto New York, the fog lifted. The red-coated enemy could be clearly seen on the opposite shore surprised and disappointed that all the Continentals had escaped to fight another day. Nine thousand troops escaped without the loss of even one life. It is very hard not see a Providential orchestration of their escape, and, consequently, the freedom of the United States. It wouldn't have happened without Divine intervention. Likewise, none by their own ability or efforts walks away from the bondage of sin, Satan, and this world. God, through Christ's work, orchestrates the escape.