IN SPITE OF THE SNOW IN OUR BACK YARD, THERE ARE STILL A FEW GREEN
LEAVES TO BE FOUND
“
I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.” (Daniel 4:5)
Most of us know the rule: don’t drink caffeine past a certain hour or you won’t get a good night of rest. For me, I drink one cup of coffee in the morning and call it quits after that. Another self-imposed rule for me is not to eat late at night. If I do, I will have trouble sleeping and will have all kinds of crazy dreams. To help me have a good night of sleep, I also try to go to bed early and read awhile. When I put down my book, I can usually drop right off to sleep.
As I have been fighting fatigue and tension headaches, I have been taking great pains to eat healthily, drink enough water, exercise, and get enough sleep. It sounds like a good formula until autism enters the picture. There it is again, that word autism.
By now, the definition of autism is readily available to anyone who wants to know all about it. Take that definition and add a bit of the following to an adult with autism: bipolar disorder, attachment disorder, anxiety, eating disorder, behavioral problems, hurting ones self, depression, and aggression. That is what I deal with on any given day. Without warning, one of the problems will rear its ugly head. Usually, Natalie’s eating disorder is under the surface, but it came out last week as she began a starvation diet. She was determined not to eat or drink water no matter what. I am thankful that in going back to school, she has perked up a bit and is now eating and drinking, albeit it is still a struggle to get her to eat.
Because of this and other things happening in our family, I had been having trouble sleeping. Every night before going to bed, I would pray for a good night of rest. Without a good night of sleep, I would not be able to handle life the next day. Many nights I would wake up in a sweat during a bad dream. Natalie would be lying in wait, skeletal, dressed in black, and starved to death. I would fight against these dreams with prayer, interceding for her. In the black of the night, my problems would become larger than they really were.
In the fogginess of my brain during the night hours, I am not sure what I did or didn’t pray, but I relied on the following promise from the Scripture. “
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (Romans 8:26)
As I attempt to pray, to put into words that which is going through my head, the Holy Spirit takes those thoughts of mine and intercedes for me. What a beautiful promise for me. As I struggle in knowing what to pray for our daughter, I can rely on this promise.
Not only does the Holy Spirit pray for me, but also Jesus is always interceding on my behalf. Jesus goes to the Father, talks about me, and pleads on my behalf. He knows my frailty and my tendency to sin. He mentions my name to God. He takes the groanings of the Holy Spirit and “translates” them. “
Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:25)
In my humanness, as I fight my daily battle against sin and as I fight for our kids, how wonderful it is to imagine what is happening on my behalf. I have the Holy Spirit and Jesus as my interceders! I have my friends and family who assure me that they are praying for our family. How precious is the sum of these prayers! They are beautiful to me, like fragrant incense before the throne of God. I am thankful for our interceders today! What a blessing if I only stop and think about it!
Intercede in the Greek means:
1. to light upon a person or a thing, fall in with, hit upon, a person or a thing
2) to go to or meet a person, especially for the purpose of conversation, consultation, or supplication
3) to pray, entreat
“
Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” (Revelation 5:8)
Lifetime
Comments (1)
There is something to be said for the power of a praying mom. My mom would quote Isaiah 54:13 at me and my siblings all the time, "Your sons will be taught of the LORD, and great shall be your children's peace." Even though at times it seemed that Mom was the source of anything but peace, that promise has remained throughout the years. I grew up, got married, have three kids...
Four years ago, Mom passed away. The promise remains, permanently part of me in the form of the word Shalom tattooed on my right wrist. Permanently part of my sister with the same on her ankle. Permanently part of my husband, who was always included by Mom in that promise, on his right shoulder.
Don't give up.