Revelation Chapter 17

“They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings —and with Him will be His called, Chosen, and faithful followers." Revelations 17:14 (NIV)
 
A Prayer Over Our Children
Oh Lamb of God, keep my children faithful to You. Help them turn away from evil desires and lusts of the flesh. When they face temptations, keep their eyes fixed on You. Write their names in the Book of Life, oh God. Pour out Your wisdom and blessing on them, I pray. But when war wages against You, let them stand for You as chosen and faithful followers. Praise You, oh King of Kings, for You are the One who overcomes and is Lord of Lords.
 
How Great
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Of late, after midnight bedtimes have become the standard norm. Midnight, one o’clock, and three a.m.  find me with head nodding on my loveseat, keyboard in hand. Even my poor husband s kept the midnight vigil with his work ramping up to fever pitch. So last night when we both crawled into bed at one a.m., a minor victory prevailed. Yet too soon daylight would dawn and force us to rise. 

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I do not need to describe my tiredness. All parent share in this struggle. With late nights and early risings, we parents often stumble into bed last and stagger up first. even with this grueling schedule, the sleep God has blessed me with has been enough. Few these hours may be, somehow God maximizes them into uninterrupted oblivion to the world.
So when my daughtered awakened me at 3 a.m., my body screamed in protest. Out I stumbled into the darkness.
“I heard a loud noise,” Sweet Pea cried upon my entry, “I’m scared!” Praise God for how auto-pilot Mommy took over my sleep-deprived state. So full of fright was my little girl, she would not let go. As for me, exhaustion kept me from resisting the obvious solution … into her bed I crawled. There I spent a fitful few remaining hours of sleep. With stuffed animals awkwardly clumped beneath me, child pressed against my torso, little limbs thrown over my own, and pillow less, I lay crammed like a sardine.
Too soon, the alarm clock rang. The little body burrowed beside me moved not a muscle. Employing every bit of Mommy strategy, I blared music on my cell phone to rouse the sleeping dead. Eventually, a head surfaced and eyes popped open. With relief, I raced to throw breakfast together. My own body fought to stay awake and I dragged with exhaustion. By the time eggs and sausage made it to the plates, Sweet Pea and my cell phone sat at the kitchen table. Songs from my device infused the air with a cheerful energy.
“What song would you like?” my little Sweet Pea asked. Her alert eyes smiled up at me.
“How about Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)?” I threw over my shoulder. I rushed to ready my family for the mass exodus to Chris Tomlin’s voice. By the time I ushered everyone out the door, another of his songs played in the background.
 “I’m so tired.” The sigh emanated from my deepest recesses. Piles of dirty dishes and a full day still awaited my weary body. All I wanted to do was crawl into bed. My mind lay flat and dull. Even my spirit grumbled and complained. Yet as I dragged myself to the kitchen sink, surprised flickered through the fog. A spark of recognition flared. An older song played which I had not heard for some time. Forgotten, it gathered cobwebs in the constant revolving door of new praise and worship songs over the years.
 “How great is our God.” Chris Tomlin sang, “Sing with me – how great is our God…” The uneven stacks of dishes and upturned mugs met my fingers. Yanking open the dishwasher, I continued grumbling. I can’t believe she woke me up. In direct correlation to my mood, my lackluster pace at the sink crawled forward like a snail. Absentmindedly, I hummed along with the song. Then, as the chorus finished its second refrain, the words began to penetrate the mental mire.
 “…and all will sing, How great, how great is our God!” Conviction rolled over me like a steamroller. Here I complained over my lack of sleep yet how many blessings had God poured out upon me? Did I not have food to eat, nice dishes on which to serve the food, central air on a hot day, and a roof over my head? Was not my family healthy and me not once sick for over a year and a half? Were we not blessed? Forgive me, Lord, I inwardly cried. My hands lay limp in the dirty dish water. Forgive my ingratitude, I begged. As the music washed over me, the song of my heart began changing.
“How great is our God —even when I haven’t slept,” I began. “How great is our God —even when I have dishes to wash…How great, how great, is our God —even when I am exhausted.” On and on my spirit praised. New meaning and fresh relevancy infused each word I sang, all while my heart proclaimed God’s greatness. And as I began praising God and proclaiming His greatness, a fresh anointing washed over me. The fogginess in my brain cleared and my thoughts focused. Exhaustion’s dead weight lifted and my body renewed and strengthened. Most importantly of all, my grumblings turned to praises and my attitude transformed.
“How great is our God, sing with me how great is our God, and all will sing, how great, how great is our God!”
Our God is never changing. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Even when storms batter and exhaustion overwhelm, God’s greatness never falters. His goodness is everlasting and His love never fails. Praise God for His constancy amidst our trials and struggles. Praise God our challenges never define His greatness or undermine His strength. Indeed, how great is our God!
 
Chris Tomlin - How Great is Our God
 
A Parent’s Prayer
Oh Lord, help me praise You in every circumstance. When I am weary and worn down, fix my eyes upon You. Make me present in each moment while You help me see the everyday as treasured blessings. Infuse Your joy as my strength this day. Amen.