ONE BRAVE WOMAN

She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed. 1 Kings 11:2 TODA !rida"# $anuar" 1%# 2&&' 2 Kings 11:1() *e+. Keith ,annes

-t takes some work to keep the names in this stor" straight. Athaliah is the mother of Aha.iah# whom $ehu has /ust killed. -s she grie+ed0 1ot that we 2an tell. She begins killing her grand2hildren. 3ike a litter of puppies in a bo4# there were lots of little bo"s in the pala2e# and an" one of them 2ould be2ome king. So a bloodbath begins. Athaliah# a granddaughter of Omri# Ahab5s father 62 Kings 7:289# wants the throne for herself. :ut $ehosheba heads into the ma"hem# like a firefighter rushing into a burning building# and res2ues one little prin2e named $oash. 1ow# $oash5s grandmother Athaliah# his grandfather $ehoram# and his father Aha.iah were all wi2ked. ;umanl" speaking# the genes point to another e+il king. :ut <od has other plans. $ehosheba hides $oash in the temple for si4 "ears with her husband# $ehoiada the priest 62 =hroni2les 22:11(129. Together# in dark da"s# the" raise $oash to know the 3ord# and he e+entuall" be2omes a godl" king. -f "ou5re a parent# "ou are appointed to shelter "our 2hildren and help them know the 3ord. -t5s a 2alling from <od that shouldn5t be left to someone else. -t takes a bra+e soul# one that is pra"erful and 2ommitted# to do this. :ut do it# and do it well. *aise "our 2hildren to be strong in the 3ord.

>ra"er: ;ea+enl" !ather# make me able to bless "our 2hildren. ;elp me to raise them up in our wa"s. ,ake me bra+e# wise# and strong for our sake. -n $esus# Amen.