Angels Among Us

I had prepared all evening (when I was supposed to be sleeping) to counsel a pregnant abortion-vulnerable mom on the Monroe HELP mobile ultrasound RV. She was to meet me at 10:00 yesterday morning. When I arrived at the RV, I met the nurse, D, and we set up for our expected mama. Both of us were a little nervous since we were both new at this particular role. Nonetheless, we had everything ready and in place in time. Then ten o'clock came...and went. The mama never showed up! It was disappointing, but D and I went to the abortion mill sidewalk and spent the next three hours trying to convince the women entering not to abort their children.

As we were working together, we chatted in between trying to stop the cars entering the facility. I discovered that D was home-schooled, around the same time period as my own sons. I knew the family of her husband! And then I discovered she went to our church! What a small world!
"You've probably seen me, I'm one of the lead singers," she told me.

Suddenly it clicked. D! The fantastic singer that I literally shed tears listening to when she played Mary in a Christmas cantata a few years back and sang a beautiful song to her baby Jesus. Every time she is on stage in the group leading worship, I am overjoyed. I love her voice! I looked at her, and wondered how I hadn't recognized her and matched the name when I first met her that morning. I clutched her shoulders staring at her. Yes! It was D, the singer with the voice of an angel. She probably thought I was deranged, as I just stared at her without speaking for several seconds, my mouth wide open.

"If I had an idol, you would be my idol!" I finally proclaimed, "I asked my husband 'why is that girl not famous?' when I first heard you sing!" I asked her if she had ever considered going on American Idol, or a similar talent show.

"I did," she told me, "But in the end decided I wanted to be where God would want to use me."
I tried to get her to sing over the microphone to the women in the clinic, but she said she is actually shy and that was a little scary. I understood her trepidation. It isn't like she was prepared or could even think of a song to sing when put on the spot like that. I hope I work with her again so I can nag her some more, however! I think the women in the abortion clinic would hear her voice, and think that heaven itself had opened before them, and angels were beckoning them in person to leave the place of death and enter the holy, sacred temple of God.

It reminded me of the Bible passage (2 Kings 6) where Elijah's servant is fearful of a battle they must face. Elijah points out that God's angels in chariots of fire surrounded them. Though initially unseen, Elijah prays his servant's eyes would be opened to the heavenly army. The servant is shocked to see the heavenly array of angels ready to fight on God's behalf. What a comfort this passage is! In our battles for God, the multitude of heavenly beings may not be revealed, but the lonely warriors for God can be comforted knowing they are indeed there. Even in such a terrible place as an abortion clinic, angels are flocking around us. I could not stop smiling at the memory of D's beautiful voice singing of the wonder of Emmanuel, God with us. I could almost see the heavenly host surrounding us.

It was a disappointing day in terms of women choosing life (one did leave telling us she didn't do it...yet...but she was still considering all information. She took our literature and told us she would consider our pleas to let us help her so she could choose life.) However, it was a glorious day in being able to tell this tremendously talented, and humble singing servant of God how deeply she had touched my heart. Funny, the one I had expected that day never showed up. Someone I never expected to meet instead brightened my day with her presence. And maybe that was God's purpose this day for me to be there, to remind me that angels are singing even in front of abortion clinics reminding us of glory, wonder, and victory.
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2 Kings 6:15-17
¹⁵ And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
¹⁶ And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
¹⁷ And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.