Titus Chapter 1

“Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless – not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.” Titus 1:7-9

Prayer Over Our Children

I continue to pray for my daughter’s future husband. Raise my future son-in-law to be blameless and true. Help him and my daughter parent wisely, blessing them with obedient and submissive children who know You as Lord and Savior. Entrust him with Your Word, making him upright and pure while not overbearing, not given to self-indulgences but good tempered, slow to anger, gentle, and not tempted by dishonest gain. Mold him to possess a hospitable heart, to love what is good, and to be self-controlled, honest, holy, and disciplined. Help him hold firmly to Your Truth so that he may encourage others with sound doctrine and rebuke those who oppose it. ...

It was 5:45 a.m. on a Saturday morning and a bird chattered loudly outside my window. The incessant noise jerked me out of deep slumber in the pitch darkness. As I floated between semi-consciousness and drifting sleep, the bird launched into an energetic soliloquy that made me dive deeper into the covers. To me, who had only procured 4 hours of sleep that night and only 4 hours of sleep the night before, the bird sounded like it was screaming at me at the top of it’s lungs. “Wake up, wake up!” it shrieked, “You have a date with God!” 
     
For a brief season, I had promised God that I would rise early every morning and spend time in His Word. And through God’s faithfulness, He had given me the strength and energy to persevere. Now, I’m not saying it was very pretty. Some mornings, all I could do was literally groan and fall out of bed in a crumpled heap on the floor. Through sleep pasted closed eyelids, I would remind God of His promise to bless me with energy if I did my part and got out of bed. Many mornings, I confess, my head nodded, and I drifted away in sleepy daydreams, but somehow, God always brought me back to the present and made my time with Him meaningful and full. 
     
It helped that my husband rises at the ungodly time of 5:15 on weekdays as it forced accountability in the waking. But weekends were different. No alarm clocks blaring, no bodies moving, and no shower pummeling to raise me to wakefulness. Only stillness, the sounds of quiet breathing, and the whispering hum of the furnace fill the dark air. So, I lay there, tucked cozy beneath the warm covers, sleep deprived, and determined to ignore the morning song. Quiet down, I inwardly grumbled, let me sleep. Yet, the bird would not quit. It would not stop singing and its chatter grew louder and longer and more incessant as the minutes ticked by. “Get up!” it scolded, “Get out of bed!!” I don’t want too, my thoughts argued, leave me alone. But, if birds ever possessed megaphones to amplify their sounds, I swear to you that this one did. It screamed, shrieked, shouted, and strained its vocal chords, all with the seeming end goal of ousting me from my warm cocoon. 
     
Finally, I could ignore it no more. Not only would the bird not shut up, but now my conscience poked and prodded. Okay, okay, I groaned, but I’m holding You to Your promise, God. I’ll do my part if You Do Yours. Then, like a beached whale, I flopped out of the bed and sprawled onto the carpet in a mass of legs and arms. I huddled to stay warm, but the cool air which hugged the ground, did not afford me such luxury and I found myself instead crawling on knees and elbows to turn on my audio Bible. The device winked it’s one green eye at me. “Please wait.’ It droned. I could not shake the cobwebs from my head and my body screamed for more sleep. Perhaps turning on the light would help, the thought popped in my mind. I leaned over my nightstand to click on the lamp, hoping the artificial brightness would transfer to me through osmosis. But as the sudden light illuminated the drawn drapes of the window, the shrieking bird fell silent – as if it’s mission was accomplished and now it could finally rest. In this moment, I recognized this chattering bird as a servant of the Most High God, sent by God to rouse me from my slumber and to help me keep my promise. Thank you, birdie, I mouthed, staring at the closed curtain. Thank you, God, I whispered, lifting my head heavenward to the ceiling. 
     
Then, the Bible began reading and the holy words unfolded before me, God’s supernatural, transforming presence lifted the layers of fatigue from my eyes. The dawning light of scripture breathed life into my lungs and issued fresh, new energy. So, there in the quietness of the early morning, where only the birds were awake, I met with God and god met with me. 
   
The thought that God is for us and not against us. That he wants us to succeed in doing his good work, and that He looks to send us helps during our moments of weakness stirs deep the gratitude in my soul. Even if it means He will use a screaming bird that will not shut up at 5:45 in the morning to drag me out of bed on a Saturday, speaks volumes to me of His great faithfulness, abiding love, and His desire for relationship. We just need to be open and willing to obey, even when it is the most difficult of circumstances. God doesn’t promise us it will be easy, but He does promise to be an ever-present help in our time of trouble. He promises that He will never leave us nor forsake us and that He will send us a Helper. He has promised us a way out. Remember, dear friends and fellow parents, if God is for us, who can be against us? No one, no one, NO ONE! He wants us to succeed, He wants to help us, and He will make a way for us to find our way to Him. For HE is a God who desires authentic, intimate, and real relationship with us. So, talk to Him, reach out to Jesus, and seek God and He will make Himself known to you. 

Prayer Over Our Children

Oh Lord, be my ever-present source of help amid difficulty this day. Make a way for me when I cannot. Grant me strength when I am weak and lift me up when I stumble. Oh God, meet with me in rich, deep, meaningful ways this day.