A Table in the Presence: The Dramatic Account of How a U.S. Marine Battalion Experienced God's Presence Amidst the Chaos of the War in Iraq [Hardcover]

LT. Carey H. Cash (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 7, 2004

On April 10^th, 2003, the 1^st Battalion, 5^th Marine Regiment, faced with the task of seizing the presidential palace in downtown Baghdad, ran headlong into what Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North called, "the worst day of fighting for U.S. Marines." Hiding in buildings and mosques, wearing civilian clothes, and spread out for over a mile, Saddam Hussein's militants rained down bullets and rocket propelled grenades on the 1^st Battalion. But when the smoke of the eight-hour battle cleared, only one Marine had lost his life. Some said the 1^st Battalion was incredibly lucky. But in the hearts and minds of the Marines who were there, there was no question. God had brought them miraculously through that battle.

As the 1^st Battalion's chaplain, Lieutenant Carey Cash had the unique privilege of seeing firsthand, from the beginning of the war to the end, how God miraculously delivered, and even transformed, the lives of the men of the 1^st Battalion. Their regiment, the most highly decorated regiment in the history of the Marines, was the first ground force to cross the border into Iraq, the first to see one of their own killed in battle, and they were the unit to fight what most believe to have been the decisive battle of the war-April 10^th in downtown Baghdad. Through it all, Carey Cash says, the presence of God was undeniable. Cash even had the privilege of baptizing fifty-seven new Christians-Marines and Sailors-during the war in Iraq.

The men of the 1^st Battalion came to discover what King David had discovered long ago--that God's presence could be richly experienced even in the presence of enemies. Here is the amazing story of their experience.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (April 7, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0849918235
• ISBN-13: 978-0849918230
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (59 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #733,584 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars God's Presence Today in Iraq, July 10, 2004

By 

D. Brandt (Sykesville, MD United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Table in the Presence: The Dramatic Account of How a U.S. Marine Battalion Experienced God's Presence Amidst the Chaos of the War in Iraq (Hardcover)

Chaplain Cash brings home the horrors and fears of war, offset by the presence of Nature's God in the midst of it all. As a Bible teacher, I found poignant lessons for living in today's world as the Bible teaches. The Chaplain describes ordinary humans, their fears, concerns and their faith that can inspire people in all circumstances of life. If you ever doubted God's presence in our world, reading this book will definitely convince you otherwise. Kudos to Chaplain Cash and the brave men of 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment.

91 of 106 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT BOOK, BUT PLEASE BE A THOUGHTFUL READER, May 1, 2004

By 

B. BOYD (Carlisle, PA 17013-5008) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Table in the Presence: The Dramatic Account of How a U.S. Marine Battalion Experienced God's Presence Amidst the Chaos of the War in Iraq (Hardcover)

This stunningly inspiring book demonstrates God's willingness to intervene in human affairs. I felt moved, overwhelmed and grateful. But I balance this with a cautionary note: as a chaplain myself I am always reminded that God doesn't deny favour to anyone (including Muslim Iraqis) of a right heart and pure behaviour.

In the first and second world wars both sides, us and them, "good guys" and "bad guys", prayed to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for protection, forgiveness and redemption. And God heard, and performed miracles to nurture and protect all men and women of righteousness -- regardless of the unrighteousness of the causes some were forced to serve.

German stories of God's intervention at Stalingrad are moving and doubtless just as authentic as those contained in Padre Cash's beautiful book. Yet we would never say that the German cause was just and Godly. On the contrary, God aided individual men and women of faith BECAUSE HE LOVED THEM.

So please, when you read this book, don't let God's great and mighty intervention in the lives of individual good men take you on a mental step into believing that God MUST therefore support the invasion of Iraq. Certainly don't slip into a sinful belief that Iraqis are less treasured in God's eyes than Americans.

Rejoice in this book, as I do, but remember to rejoice in God's love of all people, and his impartiality in the squabbles between nations. He's not interested in saving nations and their reputations, but in saving His individual sons and daughters from eternity without Him.

74 of 88 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A moving and thought-provoking work., July 10, 2004

By 

Rev Nairn Mack - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Table in the Presence: The Dramatic Account of How a U.S. Marine Battalion Experienced God's Presence Amidst the Chaos of the War in Iraq (Hardcover)

As an ordained Evangelical minister and pastor for 23 years, with a strong concern that we Americans may stray off track if we lose our humility, I read this book with a critical eye for its doctrinal and scriptural correctness. I found it basically fine, but perhaps guilty of what Carol Hamrin of the Institute for Global Engagement (a superb Christian think-tank) called "the hubris that God is on OUR side". I agree with that view, which was expressed by another padre (Chap. Boyd) below: that we must not fall into the sin of believing that Almighty God our Savior is an instrument of American foreign policy. This is actually a little dangerous and possibly blasphemous. We serve an unimaginably mysterious and righteous God, who is neither American nor Iraqi, neither Republican nor Democrat, neither Christian nor Islamic, neither militaristic nor pacifistic. He is spirit; pure, omnipotent and omniscient. I rejoice that our wonderful God guided and protected our servicemen and women in Iraq, but I also lament the fact that some readers are believing this is evidence that God must be supportive of the war and our intervention and actions. It is not. God's protective mantle was indeed spread over many Americans (praise Him) but also over many Iraqis (yes, Islamic Iraqis are God's created children too). I certainly don't mean to criticise Chaplain Cash's powerful book, but only to encourage readers to remember that the context is a world in which we must be on God's side, not one in which we try to get Him on our side.