Warrior & Handmaiden ~ An Allegory

Chapter 1 ~ The Wound

She knew it was deep 

because the only part of the two edged sword showing was the hilt. Leather wrapped the hilt and leather strips were used to hold the cover of the sharp killing weapon’s hilt in place. The warrior lay on the stone slab and was completely covered with linen strips of cloth, except

there was that hilt

the only thing exposed and revealing its deadly intent. The warrior lay perfectly still as if dead. Her heart was torn because she knew she would need to remove the sword, she was the healer’s handmaiden. The head healer had given her specific instructions and she recognized the depth of wounding that faced her here in the silence of the physician’s protected room, the upper room, the room specified for healing warriors for the 

King’s Service.

This warrior had a specific job and this wound needed to be healed. Those were her instructions and the gifting with which she had been trained. She observed the task, the wound began at the hip on the warrior’s right side, traveled in an angle up through the body and through the heart ending at the left shoulder. A grievous sight, she spent hours meditating and praying so she would not do more damage as the blade was drawn from the wound. Her hands were covered with strips of linen as she grabbed the hilt and with strength that she did not know she possessed 

she drew the death blade from the warrior’s body.

Blood spurted out in two quick streams as she threw down the weapon and placed her hands over the gaping and bleeding wounds. She prayed as she held the skin together. 

“Almighty healer of skin, blood vessels, muscle, nerves, inner organs and heart descend upon this faithful servant and heal these grievous wounds. Do your work so that no scar tissue will hamper movements as work is continued so that the fight for you and accomplishing your mighty work will continue as if the wound never existed except for the glory of your healing power working through this warrior. I thank you mighty healer for what you have already accomplished through the laying on of hands.

Praise you mighty healer.” 

Her hands were covered in blood from his initial loss, but when she checked the wound there was not even a scar, just as she had requested, she praised the Almighty Healer. Cleaned from the healing she scurried from the room.

Warrior breathed deeply and did not gasp in pain. The Almighty healer had worked His touch through the linen wrapped hands of His servant, Handmaiden. She was gone by the time Warrior realized what had happened but the commander entered with new orders for fresh work to be accomplished and He rose to follow orders. The warrior thanked the Almighty Healer, put on his armor and ran to follow orders. 

Free of the tool that was used to wound and healed from the pain and scarring from near death, the warrior returned to the fight completely healed from the onslaught the enemy had intended for the warrior’s demise. 

Warrior never forgot to praise the Almighty Healer. Handmaiden never forgot to thank the Almighty Healer for hearing her prayer and 

ending the onslaught of a grievous wound.

Chapter 2 ~  The Desert

Handmaiden had scuttled quickly out of the room the day of the sword. Running head long into the Head Physician who had a task and training exercise for her to accomplish next:

The testing of the desert

She hated the desert paths, she did not like the isolation and testing but her best times of growth were in the desert, she knew this well, so she went even though 

she was wounded and in need of healing.

There were wild roots she needed to collect, label and store and even serpent venom was used for life giving antidotes. Along the rocks she knew there were special herbs she would need to gather, label and store for use in the Physician’s upper room.

 Here she was again, walking along the desert paths that supplied healing ingredients that could only be harvested if she obeyed the Almighty Physician’s habitual sessions for inner cleansing, renewing and extensive training. 

She didn’t notice the warrior quietly tracking the traces left by her wounding, but she sensed that she was not alone.

She was sitting, resting, the work of the day had caused pain in her joints and her skin and muscles were sore to the touch. She was rubbing her legs to relieve the aching when she saw him standing close beside her, she nearly cried out in fright, but she recognized Warrior, standing straight and tall, hand extended. She was afraid if she took his hand that it would hurt, her hands were so sore, but she decided to take a chance and risk. 

With great tenderness his hand strengthened her and she reached to cover his with her other hand, knowing that healing was the most important thing for Warrior and Handmaiden. It was only a moment, that’s all it took, the pain was gone and her strength was restored.

He stood silently, as she began to gather her items for the next healing session. As he walked away he reminded her of tomorrow’s meeting, she teased him without his knowledge and he missed her unknown cues. She smiled and said ‘gotcha,’ he relaxed and realized she of course would be at the assembly; her time in the desert would be finished, so she could celebrate for a couple of days during the annual festivals.

But that was not what happened…

Handmaiden thought she would see Warrior at the Annual Festival, but there was no break from the desert for Handmaiden. She was to have no break from the desert. The desert remained her place of healing, teaching her how to ask for help, how to be humble, how to feel totally over her depth in service. Unlike Warrior, her wounds were not born of emotional pain and service fatigue, they were physical grief and real wounds that could lead to the true separation of life and death.

She wanted to flee from the desert place, off to her upper room, but her tasks were not complete. I’m unworthy she cried, “I know” said the Almighty Physician, “But I AM the healer and you know me, just come to me when you serve, just as you’ve always done. You know how this is done Handmaiden, do not be afraid. If you thought you could do it in your own power then I would send you back to the desert again for much longer than a day or two for quick lessons, you know this. Do not be afraid.’

She finished the tasks, but internally she walked back with the desert in her mind. Instead of climbing up the winding stairs to the Physician’s quarters she hid in her old upper room, beautiful, but secluded. There she prayed and listened, removed the linen bandages and cleaned the wounds that would not heal. The linen covered them, Warrior knew they were there, for he had seen them in the desert.

She was not sure what would happen when they met again.

Chapter 3 ~ Stabbed in the Back

Deep within her a struggle ensued, someone, somewhere was in trouble – wounded – yet who and where? The gentle bell ringing at her bedside woke her from the restless sleep. She was needed in the Physicians’s Upper Room. A healing in the middle of the night was not a good sign. She quickly wondered if the Almighty Physician had warned her of the need ahead of time during her dreaming. Quickly she dressed for action and lightly, as a gazelle, bounded from her room climbing up the three flights of stone stairs to the room of service.

He stood in the entrance to the Most Holy Room. In front of him stood The Altar, The Cross and The Book; his heart was heavy from the day’s journey. He was unsure if he could walk to the front and kneel as was his custom. He continued to stand motionless, dressed in his white linen coverings used underneath his armor, fully clothed yet somehow he felt terribly exposed before the light of the presence in this room. This room, this Altar Room, was where the Almighty Physician’s presence could be sensed at its highest degree of cleansing and healing. He continued to stand motionless in the entrance, a quick glance told this war torn soldier there was no one in the room, but somehow he knew he was not alone.

Finally he took one painful breath and carefully took one step forward. The wooden plank floor gave way to the pressure of his step and it groaned in response. He paused, then continued to soak up the healing presence and continued to slowly make his way to the front of the room. The floor quietly gave testimony to his presence by the shifting planks, the groans and sounds emanating from the floor boards. Warrior did not hear the sounds; his focus was toward the front of the room and solely upon The Cross.

What was it about the symbol of The Cross? Why did it draw his attention at this moment? He tried to remember the lessons from past days. The Cross held the key to his wrestling heart – he knew this – but what was the connection to the Almighty Physician and to the gentle healing presence he felt in this room? This same presence that drew him each night as he returned from the Day of Battle filled with pain and suffering?

At this point all he knew was each night when he would enter this sacred place he left changed, the memories of past battles existed no more, the day’s killings, maiming’s and cutting wounds he delivered were washed away and he left with no pain, just the memory of what he had done.

Who was the Almighty Physician? What presence was in this room? Who and what did he relinquish his personal rights up for when he signed on as a fighter in the King’s Army? Tonight all he had were questions, but even in the midst of questions, in this place he found peace, restoration, forgiveness and hope.

What about that cross? He tried again to remember the stories from his childhood…

As he traveled the last few steps, they brought him to the front of the room, standing within touching distance of The Cross, The Book and The Altar. When he could take no further steps; he turned away and looked at the path behind him. He did not realize until that moment that he had been wounded for there was a trail of blood behind him.

That was the last thought he had before he crumpled to the floor at the foot of the cross.

She stopped in the doorway when she saw who lay upon the large stone slab. She knew he was one of the King’s Army Leaders. Her breath caught in her throat because she had never seen him in this room and he was bleeding severely. She whispered, “Oh, Almighty Physician have mercy and grant me the strength and skill to perform the healing that needs to occur.”

She quickly walked to the foot of the healing stone slab and waited for instructions.

“Handmaiden, you are to be the leader on this healing. It will be a long and arduous process but you will be faithful. The Almighty Physician has spoken, do not be afraid. He will answer your cry for help. He will guide you through the healing process. Remember your training, remember your gifts. Use ALL of them in this healing, do not grow faint of heart, and do not become weary. Warrior will return often to this table, allow the Almighty Physician to work through you to bring healing each time. Again, do not grow weary or faint of heart. The Almighty Physician has spoken.”

Handmaiden froze.

It was as if time stood still, her breathing slowed, her hands felt cold and lifeless. But as her instructions took form in her mind and the encouragement filled her hands she knew this season of time would be the culmination of her training. It would be a place of healing in her own soul as she relied on the Almighty Physician to use her and fill her with His strength.

Handmaiden breathed.

She touched Warrior’s feet and wept. She crumpled into a fetal position and wept for him. As she wept she began to hear the Almighty Physician speak into her mind, this was a first. He began giving her instructions, telling her what was needed for the healing. She had completed the first step: weeping for her charge, feeling his pain and suffering.

As she embraced the pain and suffering the Almighty Physician gave her a picture of where the wounding had occurred. She moved her hand to the place He instructed:

Warrior had been stabbed in the back during battle.

A friend had misplaced his sword and part of it had broken off into Warrior’s back. She asked the attendants to carefully turn his body over to expose the wound. She wept again for it had become infected, bluish purple angry lines emanated from the wound that had mostly healed over. Her concerned heart told her it was going to be a long healing over a period of time; she now understood her original call.

“Do not lose hope, Handmaiden,” she heard again His words.

Again the next step came to her heart, “He will need music, send for the court musicians.” As Handmaiden waited and cleansed the area of wounding she sang praise and worship songs, when the Court Musicians began their worship, she began to pray.”

“Almighty Physician have mercy on this your servant, Warrior. Meet him in his place of deepest need. Thank you for your guidance, for the Court Musicians and for the complete, deep inner cleansing, healing, mending and preparing for Warrior’s next assignment.

We praise you Almighty Physician.”

Chapter 4 – Roses in the Air

She ran down the steps when she heard the bell calling her to service. She had been meditating on the roof of the Physician’s complex, taking time from her busy schedule to ponder the beauty surrounding the huge complex of buildings and gardens. It was difficult to find time and a quiet space since the ending of the feud between the Northern Clan and the Southern Clan. Many warriors had suffered from the wounds they received in the various skirmishes that encompassed the war torn land.

She hoped and prayed for rest from the long healing sessions would soon dissipate so Handmaiden could escape to heal from her own ravaged emotions. There were only so many wounds she could bear to see and allow the power of the Almighty Physician to flow through her before she needed intense rest herself.

Self care greeted her on the roof of the tall building that night, beauty restored her mind and her heart.  Rest calmed the tense nerves and muscles taunt from repeated usage.

At the bottom of the steps Warrior met her and informed her of a serious need. 

Why was Warrior the one to inform her? Warrior continued, she was requested in the infant chamber…  his infant…  his child and his wife were gravely ill unto death. He had requested her because he knew her heart, her strength and her reliance on the Almighty Physician to complete the miraculous in times of need. 

She looked at him, and for the first time saw the wrinkles of worry creasing his face. She touched his arm, said a quick prayer and then followed him to the secret room set aside for the children of the King’s Men.

The room was bathed in soft yellow light reflecting off pale yellow walls and curtains. On the bed lay his wife and newborn child. The mother looked exhausted, the child looked sick. Handmaiden asked to hold the tiny infant, at first touch she knew the child was very precious, a peace flooded her heart, if flooded her entire body, oh my, thought Handmaiden she began to pray:

Oh Almighty Physician touch my hands as they touch this child. Heal his body, touch his lungs so they breathe as they need to, protect his brain development, bring into him healing breathe. Thank you Almighty Physician for the healing you are going to work in this newborn and I praise you for the plans You have in store for this little one.

The room immediately emanated the presence of the Almighty Himself, Handmaiden sensed healing in her wounded hands, sensed a change in the child and knew the mother was being healed as well. Time stood still.

Handmaiden placed the child back in his mother’s arms and she shivered, pain lifted from her body like a blanket, healing continued to fill the room, the soft yellow light turned rich and golden. The air shimmered when a faint breeze added the sweet fragrance of roses to the air. The Almighty Physician’s hallmark of a special healing – the essence of His presence when He chose to make an impact with a special touch  – the air was magnetic and filled with change. Handmaiden paused, inhaled, closed her eyes and listened.

She knew she had been changed but what about the child and the mother? Warrior entered the room and froze, he sensed the change in everything within an instant. He closed his eyes and waited. Peace continued to fill the room, a sweet fragrance lingered. 

Handmaiden sensed a change, opened her eyes and met the tender eyes of Warrior. He was focused on her face and whispered thank you as he passed her on the way to his wife and son.

The child would live, the mother was well, Warrior wept and like so many times before Handmaiden quietly exited the place of healing and sought her own place of quiet in the garden near the desert.

Chapter 5 ~ The Lost Child

She thought about it often, the child that wasn’t. Especially around the time that would have been her birth. But this year for some reason she was more grieved about the loss than other years. The fact confused her and caused her to once more go to her knees and give the child back to the Almighty Physician. She could see her face, hands and feet, so small and so very young. She could still feel the warmth of her body and the touch of her fingers, but now more than other times she felt the pain that came from remembering. No, this child was gone from her life.

She closed her eyes as one tear travelled down her face.

The woman that she watched every meeting day entered the sanctuary and sat in front of her. She was shy to speak and a bit slow in how to communicate, because the woman was so full of love for everyone. While at the same time she was full of anger and bitterness. Yet even though she knew she needed the loving words the woman in the third seat would say to her she did not have the strength to even speak or look at her – except through half closed eye lids.

This Sunday morning was different; she needed the words of comfort the woman could offer her. She knew she could no longer voice speaking. She practiced the words, rehearsed the tone of her voice and facial expressions in front of the bathroom mirror – she was ready. She continued to rehearse the words she would say in greting, and the things she would share. She was ready.

She sat inter standard spot and waited. She had to remind herself to breathe as she mentally rehearsed the words that would expose her need and leave her hurt again. She was in so much mental anguish and pain, maybe this woman who sat with her daughters and showed such compassion and gentleness towards others would extend that same type of generous spirit towards her. She hoped it would be so, her inner self told her to be strong and brace. She waited, but no one came.

She looked around for others that she could openly share her source of pain, the loss of a child, but no one stood out, no one seemed to have the inner depth of strength and the outer expression of love and tenderness that this other woman possessed. She would need to wait until next week. One long week of pain and inner suffering she would need to endure.

A week later she went through the same routine, rehearsing what she would say and how she would say it. She sat in the same seat, as so many ties before, she felt invisible. She saw the woman walking down the side of the sanctuary, her three girls and one boy not her own in tow. Thank the Almighty Physician, she cried in her head.

After the service she shared her practiced script with the woman who always sat in the third row. As she finished her story seesaw tears running down the face of her comforter, she knew her trust would not be broken, she knew that the woman with the three girls understood her pain and suffering. They prayed together and even though the place of meeting was busy and there was a bustle all around them, she was protected with a holy presence that felt as the woman said words of healing and blessing.

As she walked home there were no more bitter memories of a child lost, only sweet thoughts of a child cherished for a short while.

There were no more feelings of being alone and unloved, there were only feelings of being filled with the Almighty Physician’s love.

Lilac remembered her name, she remembered the words of blessing and the loving hug she received along with the strength that it gave her.

Thank you King of Kings for the lady unseen, you helped me see her, she prayed for me. Thank you for her healing words of trust and love that are directly from you.

Chapter 6 ~ Who is who?

Handmaiden had watched the weary worm woman several times at the place of meeting. Her tender heart had wanted to reach out and heal the woman’s wounded heart, but for some reason she was held back from healing her Handmaiden knew the woman in the third row, she was a Healer on the second floor of the Physician’s Hall for wives and children. Handmaiden herself was assigned to the King’s Warrior’s, she often wondered why? It seemed she knew this woman who was so filled with pain but she could not place the memories.

She sensed the Almighty Physician’s tender reminder that her time in the meeting room needed to come to an end and she was required at the side of the Warrior who now rested from a cleansing session. He was still sleeping but the most difficult task awaited them.

The removal of the blade of offense.

As Handmaiden walked down the corridor and began climbing the stone stairs to the Room of Healing she pondered who might have stabbed Warrior in the back? Why type of battle was then he engaged in when the wounding happened? Why did Warrior not realize he had a blood in his back, did it sever a nerve on entry? That last question concerned her a great deal. If the nerve was severed she would need to ask the Almighty Physician to regrow the nerve, not an easy request, nor a pain free process – actually it was excruciating.

Oh Mighty Physician, please grant me a steadfast heart, yet a gentle spirit to walk with Warrior while he is on this path to healing, thank you Mighty Physician.  

In her place of prayer she did not notice the woman with the wounded heart following her. When the woman passed Handmaiden a sweet fragrance of lilac filled the air. I know that fragrance from somewhere she thought. As the woman continued climbing up the flight of rock hard steps, Handmaiden began to wonder where the woman was going, for this was the Physician’s Upper Room and a private staircase.

Could the unknown woman possibly know Warrior?

***

Lilac was named for the sweet fragrance that accompanied her everywhere. She had finally decided to not only follow Handmaiden but to also visit her son, Warrior. Lilac had received a blessing from the woman that normally sat in the third row during meeting session, Lilac had also eventually learned her name was Peace. A fitting name for the woman who had done the same in her own life, Peace, Lilac would remember that name always. With her burden lightened and her grief abated she had decided to follow the young woman who reminded her so much of what she thought her daughter might have looked like if she had not been lost in the flood that terrible night so many years before. As she passed the special woman on the stairs, Lilacs heart gave a lurch when she considered the thought that maybe, just maybe, her daughter didn’t die in the flood, but instead 

saved by someone that didn’t know her name?

Lilac missed a step and accidentally brushed against the woman she was pondering. A thrill shook her from the top of her head to her toes, what if? As Lilac continued to pass her and climb each step towards Warrior her son, she continued to ponder the day’s occurrences.  Would the requests of Peace be realized in her life,

would Almighty Physician heal her broken heart?

At that point Lilac found herself in the doorway of the Healing Room. She sept silently. She knew she could not and should not touch her son, from a distance she could see the angry bluish purple infected veins creating their spider web like criss crosses on her son’s back.

“Oh Almighty Physician, have mercy ,” was all she could say.

Handmaiden was still very aware of the impact that the wounded heart woman left upon her arm as she passed. It was only when she stepped through the crimson and purple linen curtains that she realized the woman had entered the room. Who was she? Why did the guards let her enter the room? Handmaiden looked up to see the woman’s face. Grief was etched deeply into her expression and her eyes were fully focused upon Warrior’s still exposed wound. “My son,” she whispered as she sat on the two seat sitting spot decorated with white linen pillows. As she leaned back in shock white linen drapes shielded her from the room.

Handmaiden silently sat beside her, took her hand, and as pain seared through her body,  she prayed for Warrior’s mother.

Chapter 7 ~ Breaking Fast

Handmaiden and a co-Healer met in the Breaking Fast area at the appointed time. They shared their comments about the communication the day before. Somehow each one of them had miss read the communication passing between the two of them. In the Almighty Physician’s work mix ups could be costly, they both sat the talked about what had happened and discussed how they had been headed in two different directions.

They marveled at how the Almighty Physician had accomplished the healing in Handmaiden’s hands, now they were ready for more strenuous work, working in the children’s wing of the compound. Handmaiden was over joyed, she knew the Almighty Physician would be pleased with her obedience during her time of trial, she was ready to again face their little faces and minister to their hearts, minds and souls. She was ready, healthy and full of the strength the Almighty Physician had shared with her through the friendship of Warrior.

Warrior stood at the entrance to the Area to Break Fast, observing Handmaiden as she sat at her favorite table looking out onto the lawn. He marveled that she had thought she was healing him, when in all actuality the Almighty Physician was using him to heal her.

They both thought they were healing the other as they performed healing acts of kindness. Without realizing that their act of kindness given to the other person worked it’s healing in the giver as well as the receiver.

Maybe they were healing each other –  the Almighty Physician certainly had a sense of humor big enough to create a space in which the all are healed as we healed others. He laughed and walked the distance to the mahogany table and sat down. He was delighted at the thought of saying hello to her across a table. The Almighty Physician entered the room at that moment, smiled and glided into the place for cleansing. He had a pile of dirty dishes that needed to be cleaned!!

______

Handmaiden stood in the hall of advisement and wondered at the freedom she felt. In one way she grieved that Warrior would not walk with her anymore, they had both moved on to their separate areas of strength. Saddened by this chain of events she pondered the words that she used, the things that she had said to change the course of her assignment. Almighty Physician had allowed Handmaiden the choice of wanting to be healed and move on or to stay in her sack cloth and ashes for her time of mourning. 

She chose to move on.

She wanted to embrace the change and the feeling of freedom. There was only a small feeling of loss when she focused on the delight of having Warrior listen to and encourage her. At this moment while she was standing in the Hall she felt mostly excitement. She did have a momentary feeling that maybe she had done something wrong but these feelings were fleeting and she did not give them much pondering time. Her face was turned to the wonder and her hands were ready to advance to the next assignment. 

What pure joy was in her heart!

***