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The great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.
“And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.
Rev. 12:7-11
As a Sandwich Generation senior home care giver and grandmother, doing a sit down Bible study daily is both a vital necessity and a luxury. Many times I opt instead for a great sermon or two on my ipod as I drive on various errands.
Today I was blessed to spend solid time reading through Revelation as I continue to work on Kaye Arthur’s Revelation Precepts course. As I read the passage above, I realized my lamp was shining right into my eyes. At first it was more of a subconscious thought that led to a feeling of irritation. Then I focused on the issue and realized that all I needed to do was turn my chair a bit. Problem solved.
Another example was a game my grandkids and I enjoyed. They loved it, but it was a bit too frustrating for them at their age. We brainstormed and adjusted the rules. Problem solved and positive new lessons are now being worked on as we play it.
Then again, some things can NOT be changed. When an aging parent is placed in the Hospice program or has developed dementia, you can change many of the circumstances, but some things are difficult and even downright unchangeable.
When nothing else can be changed, we have to choose to submit it all to God and rest in His promises. Not that I shouldn’t have submitted the first two issues as well. I’ve learned I need to submit everything and all of me to Him.
Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. James 4:7
When I’ve hit those solid walls of a one-way situation and feel like I am wedged in tight – no way in or out and the walls are getting closer and closer – that’s when my submission takes on even deeper meaning. When we can’t look anywhere else it makes us look at Him. If we are already looking at Him, it makes us look deeper into His eyes.
Sometimes these occasions will be huge, like hospice. Sometimes tiny, like a room arrangement we can’t change that is driving us nuts. Regardless of size, we will be blessed when we hold it out to God and let it go to Him. I’ve even done that physically and dramatically to help myself. I’ll hold out my hands and tell the Lord, “Here is my situation. I give it to You. Please make sure I leave it with You!”
As John points out in Revelation, we in the Sandwich Generation will be blessed when we choose to submit everything to God even when faced with unchangeable circumstances including death.
