Wasps On A War Path

The wedding celebration was ready to begin. We scanned the seating arrangements and found our assigned table. I was delighted to find that my chair was beside two little girls ages two and four. It was more than I could resist, I reached out and brushed the cheek of the two-year-old. She smiled and giggled, we instantly became friends. Although FaceTime is a precious gift I long to hold our granddaughter. I miss her soft skin and holding her little hand. I took advantage of this time vicariously loving on her. After a long time on my lap, my little friend wriggled and I set her down on the grass.

All of a sudden she began crying obviously in pain. We soon spotted a wasp on her. Her poor little body had been stung seven times! I rushed to get ice only to discover I wasn’t the only one on this mission. There was another screaming child and her mother at the ice bucket! As I rushed back to our table yet another child began screaming. I don’t watch horror movies but this is the only way I can describe the moment. In less than fifteen minutes at least five children and one adult had been stung multiple times. It caused instant chaos sending families to their cars.

As the wedding celebration began to wind down and most of the guests had left, I stopped to congratulate the mother of the bride. Thinking she must have known what happened, I said something like “every wedding has to have a story to tell.” My friend looked at me very puzzled. It was then that I discovered although the father of the bride, a trained medic, had been assisting the victims, the mother of the bride and the entire bridal party had somehow managed to blissfully escape the drama.

How the father of the bride kept it from his family I will never know. I couldn’t help but be reminded of how God used hornets to drive out the Canaanites. “I sent the hornet before you which drove them out from before you, also the two kings of the Amorites, but not with your sword or with your bow.” Joshua 24:12 There are many instances recorded where God fought their battles. Sometimes He used hornets, other times wind, and once He even used singers to sing. One of my favorite Bible promises comes from one of these stories. “…This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged… for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” 2 Chronicles 20:15 

With my thoughts already in Bible story mode I thought of yet another battle…this time it was Elisha and his servant up against a whole army. “Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!” The LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.” 2 Kings 6:17

The father of the bride kept “the battle of the wasps” from ruining his daughter’s special day, and likewise, God lovingly fights much of our battles without us even being aware. I believe one day when we sit down in heaven and chat with our guardian angels, our eyes will be opened and our hearts will sing thanking God for winning our battles for us.

“Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed … for there be more with us than with him” 2 Chronicles 32:7