For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you’. – Isaiah 41:13
In prayer I often hope to hear the voice of God to help me through trying times. But it’s not usually direct from God, but rather in the language of others that I have heard his sacred words.
When my daughter was born and I was leaving the hospital with her, she had a seizure in my arms and stopped breathing. Two days passed and no one knew yet what was wrong, but she was on oxygen and a feeding tube. After being awake for nearly 48 hours I had to get some rest but was too afraid to leave my baby’s side. I was wiped and worn. A nurse came up to me and said “Give the baby to me, I will take care of her, you rest.” I looked into the nurses eyes with fear and again she spoke with calm assurance that she “would take care of her, and I could rest. It would be ok”. She spoke everyday words, but to me there was sacred meaning in each one of them.
Four years later, my son was involved in a terrible accident that left me devastated. I sat alone in a quiet hospital floor while he was in surgery. Seemingly out of nowhere a woman appeared and sat and talked with me. We were the only two people on the floor. She listened as I spoke randomly through tears and heartbreak, but she remained steady, and replied to me with calm assurance, told me stories that made me feel better and provided distractions to keep my mind together. She took care of me. Her simple words helped me through a desperate moment.
About 10 years ago, I was in the outer cape with my mother and my two kids who were toddlers at the time. In the middle of night, she woke me holding her chest. I called 911 and sat with her until the ambulance came. As they took her to the hospital I debated if I should wake the kids and follow the ambulance. All of my siblings were out of state and I stood alone in her house, frightened for her, scared myself and not knowing what to do. I called her partner to tell him what happened. He said “I have this, you stay there and I will go to the hospital and take care of your mom.” He sounded so in command and so reassuring. He made me not afraid, and made me know he was taking care of my mother. Again, simple words, simple phrases, but sacred meaning.
These conversations were not long, but God’s love and promise of help came to me through the words of those he placed around me.
Lord, keep me from fear and let me hear your words and receive your help through those who surround me.