You'll Need Your Sword

"And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night." Nehemiah 4:8.

Confusion is an enemy tactic. Many moms are confused by the educational choices available now and are trying to decide what is best for their children. That is not the confusion I mean here. This is for parents who have already been called by God to homeschool. Once in the thick of the battle, we can't be confused. We must be purposeful and focused on our task.

I've often had my doubts--would Arielle be better off in public school? She loves competition and group dynamics. Is Liana's reading progressing as it should? Is there something else that would help her more? The bottom line of doubt is--am I doing the right thing?

I love the yearly homeschool conference we attend. It's always in June after we've finished another year and we are deciding about books for fall--what worked, what didn't. The speakers always motivate me to press on, and the sheer number of other homeschooling parents there amazes me. We must be on to a good thing because there is a whole army of us!

There is also an army who would like to stop our work. "And our enemies said, they will not know or see us till we come among them and kill them and stop the work." verse 11. There are those in government who would like to put an end to homeschooling. Even our friends sometimes say to us, as the Jews did to Nehemiah, "You must return to us." verse12. We must be vigilant and speak against any bill or judge's ruling that limits parental rights. But most of all, we must be on guard spiritually. We have many battles to fight right here at home. More on that later. Nehemiah's advice: "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes." verse 14.

So in a few weeks we will say, "We all returned to the wall, each to his work...half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail." verse 16. Oh, that we would have prayer warriors fighting for us as we worked! Some do. I attended a homeschooling event at a church where about 75 percent of all parents homeschooled their children. The pastor was behind them all the way and the other congregants supported and encouraged them. That is not how it is at our church. Even in a church as large as ours, we are the odd ones out. So in that case...

"Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built..." verses 17, 18. So I strap on my sword and go to work. "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God...and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit." Ephesians 6. "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12.

Homeschool conferences are nice, the fellowship of other homeschooling moms is encouraging, but don't forget to carry your sword. Ultimately the battle is fought in the spiritual realm and we can stand firm on the commands and promises of God. We hear this over and over but it is so crucial to stay in the Word and be faithful in prayer.

"The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me...I said, the work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us." verses 18-20.

If you get into trouble, if you get discouraged, by all means sound the trumpet! We're widely spread, but help is nearby. And the best help of all, "This is the confidence we have in him, if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." I John 5:14.

"So we labored at the work...from the break of dawn until the stars came out." verse 21.