Fear Not!

One of my favorite Old Testament prophets is Elisha. The name Elisha means “God shall save,” and Elisha’s entire life exemplifies how God will save us. One of my favorite stories is when Elisha confronts the Syrian army. The Syrians are fighting against Israel and Elisha sends a message to the king of Israel telling him where the Syrians will be and how to outsmart them. Baffled by how Israel knows what he is going to do, the king of Syria calls his men together and asks who the traitor is that is telling Israel his plans. One Syrian soldier speaks up and tells the king that no one is betraying him. Instead a prophet in Israel, Elisha, knows the secrets of the king’s heart and tells Israel what he is going to do. Outraged, the king of Syria takes his armies, horses, and chariots by night and surrounds the city of Dothan where Elisha is staying.

The next morning Elisha’s servant awakes and finds the city surrounded by the armies of Syria. Filled with panic he asks Elisha, “What shall we do?”

Calmly Elisha comforts him, “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them” (2 Kings 6:16).

You can imagine what the servant thought. Hundreds of troops around the entire city and Elisa says not to fear that the two of them are more than this army! But Elisha prays and asks the Lord to open the eyes of the servant, and suddenly the servant sees that the entire mountain is covered with horses and chariots of fire ready to defend the prophet.

Like Elisha and his servant, we are never alone if we are following the path of righteousness. Even though we can’t see them, chariots of fire are there whenever we need them. Angels attend us daily. We just need to learn to trust that they are there.

They That Be With Mothers

My mother, sister, daughters, friends--all of us mothers!

I delivered ten children and raised nine of them to adulthood. I know all about the pains of motherhood. I know the hurt of losing a child. I know the helpless feeling of caring for a sick child. I know the after curfew anguish of waiting for a late child. I know the humiliation of children making wrong choices. And as you all know there is more pain than that.
But I also know all about the joys of motherhood. I know the delight of hearing a child’s first word. I know the expectant look a toddler gives only to her mother. I still can feel the warmth of small arms around my neck and the words whispered in my ear, “I love you, Mom!” I know the joy of watching my child ride a bicycle for the first time. I know the fun of Saturday mornings with nine kids jostling on our bed for a giggle session before breakfast. I know the deep joy of children learning to do things I can’t do. And there is more joy, much more.
But the most important thing I have learned about motherhood, is that it is part of godhood. Mothers are gods in training and you can’t be in training without there being mentors, teachers, and trainers to guide and help you.
In 2 Kings chapter 6 we read the story of Elisha and his servant awaking one morning to find themselves surrounded by a large army sent by the King of Syria to take them prisoner. Upon seeing the multitude of chariots, horses, armor, and soldiers, the servant was mortified and exclaimed, “Master, what shall we do?”
Elisha was not the least worried and comforted the servant by saying, “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.”
The servant must have wondered about Elisha, but not for long. Elisha prayed for the Lord to open the servant’s eyes so that he could see that the mountain was covered with a heavenly army and that chariots of fire were all around Elisha.
After forty years of mothering, the one thing I know most is that despite the pains that have to be endured, the overwhelming adversity that seems to plague motherhood, the many moments when you throw up your hands in despair thinking, “What shall I do?” you are not alone. If God sent an army to protect one prophet and his servant as they went about doing His work, He is certainly sending you an army to help you raise His children.
The greatest lesson I’ve learned in mothering is to trust in that heavenly army. It is there. Don’t despair. Don’t fret. Don’t give up. Instead, open your eyes and know that the hosts of heaven are helping you. As you accept, trust in, and rejoice in that fact the answers come. The help arrives. The miracles occur. Raising children is God’s work. We as mothers get to help.