Do You Know Who This Is?

Sigh. Melancholy. Despondent. Sitting in the bottom of the dumpster, looking down.

It had been a rough morning. Do you have a child that wages all-out war on any idea that isn’t theirs? Having waged battle all morning trying to get such a child on the bus, this mama was an emotionally, mentally and physically beaten soldier sitting numbly on the couch.

But now the baby was napping, the preschooler was at a play date, and the 2-year-old was ready for adventure. Pulling on some shoes, we set out for the mailbox. That’s about as adventurous as I could be.

The sun was beaming through picturesque clouds. Just happy to be alive, my toddler was also beaming while clinging to my hand. Still stewing over the morning’s events, I tried to smile back and be present. That’s when a memory flashed through my thought process.

My parents were visiting after the birth of our son. I could picture where I was working in the kitchen when a glance up halted the task. On the other side of the counter, Dad was looking intently into the face of the infant nestled into the crook of his arm. Abruptly, Dad met my gaze. Eyes glistening and emotion making his voice quiet and tight he asked, “Do you know who this is?” I cocked my head a bit at the question, not sure I understood. “To come to earth at this time, to this family…..do you realize who this person is?”

In the book of Revelation, it speaks of a premortal “war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon…And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth…And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony…” (Rev. 12: 7, 9, 11)

In that moment on the driveway, with my Dad’s question ringing in my ears, I caught a glimpse of our son, the fighter, who has always been a fighter, part of a generation of fighters who overcame the adversary “by the blood of the Lamb” and by their “testimony” before they ever came to earth.

For a second, I understood that our son was sent here at this time and to this family to be taught to fight for the right things, so he can once again overcome the adversary by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of his growing testimony.

And I looked up from the bottom of the dumpster, deciding to try again.

With the help of our Savior, I am willing to try again.

Thanks, Dad.