Who Fiercely Protects Those She Loves

Then I, myself, will be a protective wall of fire around Jerusalem, says the LORD. And I will be the glory inside the city!

IT WAS A SIMPLE MISUNDERSTANDING AT SCHOOL, but I (Becky) had never been in trouble before, and I was having a hard time explaining myself to the teacher through all the hot tears streaming down my face. I hadn’t been to the principal’s office before, and the staff had never needed to call my parents to a meeting before. It was all a big mistake, but how was I ever supposed to convince the adults in charge? I needed help. I needed an advocate. That’s when my mom showed up.

My mom wore a long, red wool coat in those days. It was high fashion for Oklahoma in the midnineties and looked like something she might have worn if she had stayed in New England. I loved that coat. You couldn’t miss it. It said, “I’m here,” and every time my momma wore it, she meant it. She showed up fully ready to face whatever needed to be done.

I remember watching her come into the principal’s office wearing that red coat and quickly getting to the bottom of the matter. I was innocent and hadn’t broken any school rules, so the adults involved owed me an apology for their quick accusations.

My momma has always been a passionate protector of those she loves. I never had to face anything on my own without believing that she would come and help me if I needed her. She made that clear as I grew. She told me, “There is nothing you will face on your own that we can’t figure out together.”

These are the same words I say to my children today. Why? Because moms don’t just protect their children from danger; we protect our children from facing the world alone. We protect our children from the pain of having to worry alone, carry their burdens alone, or work through solutions alone.

The truth is, mommas who fiercely guard their children keep a constant eye on the road in front of them, but also behind and to the sides. We pray hedges of protection around our children. We pray for God to keep them safe and surround them. We jump in when it’s necessary, and sometimes before we’re even asked to, not because we want to be overbearing, but because we love so deeply and care so much.

For the momma who fiercely loves her children, I must offer this important reminder: God is our protector, shield, and strength. As the Lord told His people in Jerusalem, He is “a protective wall of fire.” God is the One who goes before our kids and behind our kids, keeping them in perfect peace.

If you’ve become weary because you have forgotten that God loves you just as fiercely as you love your children, here is a quick reminder: The armor of the Lord is your sword and your shield. Your job is to pray, trust Him, and follow His lead. His job is everything else. Let’s allow God to restore our strength and bring peace to the places of our hearts that ache with worry because we’ve felt that protecting those we love is entirely up to us. God covers us with the red blood of His Son, and when the Lord shows up, He means it!

Tonight we pray for the momma who fiercely protects those she loves. Lord, this momma doesn’t let her children face the world alone. She is on her knees praying for them, she is keeping an eye out for potential pitfalls, and she always looks to You to be with them when she can’t. Lord, this momma knows that the world is dangerous, but she serves a very big God. She knows You are the One who fights battles for her and her kids. Tonight we ask You to remind her that You are the ultimate protector and that she can trust You. She protects because she loves her kids, and You do too. Bless this momma with peace tonight.

We ask in Jesus’s name, amen.

Father, how wonderful to know that as much as I love my children, You love them more. Please protect them from . . .