Tip of My Iceberg

photo courtesy of Jorgen Hendriksen on Unsplash

We had an incident.

We have lived in a quiet neighborhood for quite a while, a place where we not only enjoy our neighbors but also feel safe knowing that they have our backs if something goes wrong.

We live on a spring-fed pond that isn’t very large but is a beautiful backdrop for those of us whose homes are on its banks. It has its own quirks; our grands have a tendency to lose balls to that pond when they play soccer, and retrieving said balls can be difficult because we can’t put a boat on the pond. At one point, I believe we had six balls floating on it, and at that point, the HOA allowed a kayak to be used to retrieve the balls.

Our neighbors are really gracious with our family.

A few nights ago, I was surprised to find three young men fishing in our pond. I didn’t know them, and I’d never seen them in the neighborhood, so I went to check it out.

They weren’t cooperative, and when asked why they were there, they were disrespectful and rude. John wasn’t home, and my grands had been playing in the yard, and I was feeling uncomfortable. And when they came back the next day as well, that discomfort increased.

OK, I was afraid. Not of what they did, but what they might do.

Fear is like a Ferris wheel, because once you get on, it can take you to heights you may not want to go. Never mind that it comes back down again; it continues to go back up, circling around, reminding you that you’re not in control. The person who’s running it is.

Fear often plagues me when I encounter something I can’t manage.

Elisha was a prophet around 850 BC, with a ministry lasting over sixty years. The king of Syria (known as Aram then) was not a fan of the man. Because of Elisha’s prophetic ability, he was able to counsel the king of Israel on what the Syrian king was planning, so the king planned to seize Elisha.

When Elisha’s servant awoke the next morning and walked outside, he was shocked by the army with horses and chariots surrounding the city. In fear, he told Elisha what had happened.

“‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, ‘Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.’ Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” 2 Kings 6:16-17

Elisha understood that God protects those who are His. Even though a massive army was gathered against him, the forces of God were greater, and the Syrian army was defeated.

The “incident” at our home wasn’t awful, but it was unsettling. I tend to go hyperbolic with emotion when things I can’t control come up. Like the Ferris wheel, I can escalate quickly, and coming down from that can be unnerving. Fear can trip me up at the oddest of times.

But God.

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

He’s the best one to have on my side.