On a hot summer night in April of 1999, Rachael Barnabas was alone at home with her boys aged 9 and 8 respectively. Her husband has gone abroad on business and she was alone at home. That night as she climbed upstairs to her bedroom, she thought she saw a flash of black in the window, but then on closer inspection, she realized that it was nothing more than a reflection of her night gown. Rachel was generally a sound sleeper, but throughout this particular night she felt restless and uneasy. As darkness progressed, she through half-awake eyes started to see a shadowy figure near her bed, but again he fears were put to rest when she realized that it was just her son drinking some water near her bedside table. As she tried to get back to sleep, she pondered over her fears about such trivial, daily occurrences. As the night wore on her fears found ground as she was startled to see a shadowy figure crawling towards her bed from the doorway of the bedroom. She saw that this figure had made its way to the cupboards and was rummaging through its contents with a pencil torch. Finally, it dawned on her that it was a thief and she had found the reason for her uneasiness.
As her mind quickened and she wondered what to do, this man leaned over and held a knife to her chest as he growled at her not to shout. Surprisingly, as she looked up at the hooded figure, she was not fearful she had never been so calm in her life. He demanded that she hand over all the money and jewels in the house, and as she assured him of her full cooperation her sons who were sleeping next to her woke up, but thankfully they never made a sound. As all three of them were herded down the stairs at knifepoint, they saw two more masked men with huge sickles in their hands. Rachel noticed that the entire room was turned upside down and that all the contents of the cupboards were strewn across the floor. The men seemed frustrated with the scant booty as all they were able to find so far were a few notes and some small items of jewelry. They expressed their frustration by threatening them further with death and even by pulling out her son’s hand and threatening to chop it off.
All through this horrendous situation, Rachael kept praying silently. She kept saying over and over again “Save us, God, you can do it!” Almost miraculously, these men suddenly dropped their weapons and went away quietly with the minimal goods they could muster. It seemed that every disturbance that kept her alert that night was allowed by God as it helped her face the real situation with greater calmness.
In life’s difficult circumstances when we are faced with hardship beyond our ability to solve it or during moments of immense fear and or anxiety it is the anchor of God’s word that gives us solace and strength. Like the Lord watched over Israel, He watches over us as well. As we read in Deuteronomy 32:10 “He (The Lord) found them wandering through the desert, a desolate, wind-swept wilderness. He protected them and cared for them, as he would protect himself. Like an eagle teaching its young to fly, catching them safely on its spreading wings, the Lord kept Israel from falling.”
Amid our trying circumstances, we may not always be able to pick up a Bible or even say a prayer, our hearts may be so overwhelmed that even words fail us. In such moments when we find it tough, we can recollect the assurances of scripture. As we meditate on God’s word daily, it slowly but surely becomes a part of our actions and thinking until it permeates every part of our being. True strength and healing are found in the pages of God’s word. Like Rachel we hope that the assurances of God will become a part of you to help you in your point of need. So, through your trials, your perseverance will become a testimony of faith that helps others triumph over fear.
