Zebina sat by Seth while Joash hurried off to tell the neighbors about the death of his father.
Still stunned, Zebina reached for Seth’s limp hand and wept all the more. She stared at those hard-working hands that had provided for them so faithfully all these years. “My precious husband, “she whispered. “How will I ever do without you?”
She gazed out over the field in the sunshine. “Who will tend the field you were so proud of?” She paused. “Yes of course, dear Joash, our wonderful son.” She looked at Seth with a half smile. “The son of our love.”
She noticed the rake on the other side of Seth. “Will Joash know how to use all the equipment, know the timing for planting and reaping, and all the other . . .” She stopped midway through her sentence and looked at Seth again. “Of course he will. You taught him everything.” She laid his hand across his chest, then drawing her knees up, she hugged them and lowered her forehead on her knees. Tears flowed again as she felt so alone, so helpless.
When the tears subsided, she raised her eyes to the sky. “Oh, Jehovah, God of the universe, Lord of all things, what am I to do? How can I move forward? The burden is so heavy.”
She lowered her head and placed her hand on Seth’s arm. “Yet I give thanks for this wonderful man you placed in my life. Such love. Such devotion to his family and to You.” She hugged her legs and bowed her head again, caught in this fetal position. Oh, to have my friend Mary. She has been through this. She would know what to say. Mary could comfort me, help me. Then there’s the funeral, the preparation, the bier, the tomb.
She stretched her arms in front of her and cried out again, “Help me, Oh Lord, help me.”
Soon she heard footsteps coming down the path. When she turned in that direction, she saw her neighbor, Hannah, running to her. Zebina tried to stand up, but it was like her body couldn’t move. Hannah rushed in and sat beside her with arms opened wide to hug her. “Zebina, Zebina, oh, my dear one.” Zebina nestled her head in the arms of this welcomed friend, pouring out more tears.
Eventually, Hannah helped Zebina to stand and ushered her away from Seth’s dead body. Hannah assured her that her husband would be coming soon. “James will take care of Seth. He has gathered others who will prepare Seth’s body for burial and I talked with Martha. She is alerting several who will be preparing food for you. Is there anything else we can do for you?”
Zebina’s head was spinning. Her eyes cloudy as though she walked in the fog of an unreal world. As they neared Hannah’s house, Zebina thought again of Mary. “Hannah, I have a friend in Nazareth named Mary. I would really appreciate it if someone could go quickly to her and help her come to me.”
“My son, John, can do that. Perhaps Joash can go with him to help find your friend.”
Joash gladly agreed to go with his neighbor John, hoping of course, to find strength and solace in his best friend, Jesus.
As Joash and John walked along at a hurried pace, John asked about the woman they sought.
“Her name is Mary and she has always been Mama’s best friend since they were young girls. Mary lost her husband a few years ago, so she will be the best one to help Mama.”
The two young men stopped at the next cluster of trees to drink heartily from their water flasks. Joash gazed across the fields toward Nazareth. We will also see my best friend, Mary’s son.
~ Joyce ~