In the MIddle of the Night

Father,
Thank you for being up in the middle of the night. Thank you that even in darkness you are light. Thank you for being the ever present help.

Tonight I lift up the mommas and daddies who are walking and rocking sick, teething, and simply cranky babies. I ask you to give them patience as they love through the early hours. Give them supernatural rest because tomorrow they need to be momma and daddy again. Give them the songs in the night to sing to little hearts, and give them peace so it pervades the atmosphere and fills those upset tummies, sore gums, and growing bodies. Give them the gentle words, and as they soothe those babies, Father, soothe them.

And I lift up the mommas and daddies who aren't sleeping because their hearts ache with the loss of a child, who would love to rock their crying baby or check on their little one in their beds. I pray for comfort only you can give. I ask you to hold them as a Father who holds a hurting baby, and even as they scream and kick, hold them tighter. Grief can be ugly, but I know you are not afraid of ugly or loud or angry. Be a presence for them. Be their strength. Give them the ability to get through this night and another day tomorrow. Honestly, some won't want to. Some won't see a reason to. You are the one with vision. They need you to help them hold on, to see past this, or at least to keep breathing until they feel like their heart is beating again.

Lord, the middle of the night can be hard because it feels like morning is a million years away or like it may never come at all. I ask you to be with these hearts as they find their way through the darkness, especially the ones who don't want to find a way through, who simply want to succumb, who simply want this over. Help them through the night, but help them through the darkness inside because it is the most oppressing darkness of all.

Thank you for being a God who isn't afraid of the dark.

Amen

copyright 2016 Jerri L. Kelley