“Wake up sweetheart! Mina’s blood sugar reads four hundred. ” My husband startles my dreams at 3:00 AM last night. I spring out of the bed. Soon, my hands are groping in the dim kitchen lights for the insulin pen. I prick my daughter’s tummy with gentle clumsiness… it’s three in the morning. Then I retrieved to my snuggly blanket knowing that her daddy was watching over her, babysitting that off-the-charts blood sugar.
Diabetes never sleeps. And neither my fears. And there are many.
Slugging my way in the Easter story, I read this morning “So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy…” Mark, Luke and John name some of these early-risers: a couple of Mary’s, a Joana (wife of the manager of Herod’s household), a Salome, and other nameless Galilean women.
Sensible fears they had:
The Jewish leaders just killed their Master. Were they next? The men of the house were terrified. Shouldn’t they? “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders. Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ “ (John 20:19) The disciples feared for dear life. Yet Jesus shows up in the midst of their anxiety, speaking directly to their struggle.
“Who will roll the stone away from the entrance…?” Wondered the women. The burden to honor Jesus’ body while in the tomb set heavily on their hearts. A boulder of a problem stood in their way: the sealed stone and the Roman soldiers. The women moved in faith tomb-ward not knowing how God would provide. The lightning-like angels shook the guards and rolled the stone away. God worked it out. “The guards were so afraid of him [the angel] that they shook and became like dead.” Matthew 28:4 God showed up through the angels after they had moved in faith.
And the news. The glorious news that Jesus was alive; it seemed too good to be true. But, the women ran to tell the men locked up in fear. Once again, Jesus meets the women a-f-t-e-r they set their minds and feet toward obedience. On their way to doing-the-right-thing, they bump surprisingly into Jesus. They ‘clasped his feet and worshipped him.’ Then Jesus speaks to their struggle once more “Do not be afraid.” He then confirms their intentions were right: “Go and tell…”
Fear never sleeps. Nor our daddy, who’s watching over us, babysitting our off-the-charts struggles. Trust that He will always show up when we’re locked.
- Fears, legitimate or not, grip us in a real way.
- Move faith-ward and marvel at His provisions.
- Obey even in your fear, setting an example for those locked up in it (like the disciples).
- Bump into His Word regularly to meet Jesus: clasp at his feet in worship, and allow Jesus to deal with your fears.
- Be patient, He will confirm what needs confirming at his parental time.
Thank you Jesus for my mother, who often faces boulder-like problems, yet moves faith-word, just like the Galilean women. (…She would have joined the Mary’s at the tomb.)
Happy Mother’s Day to all faithful women impacting the children of their household… or their heart-hold.