Psalm 4:8
I can lie down and sleep soundly because you, Lord, will keep me safe.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
The other night after her bath, our 2-year-old niece Zola got her favorite stuffed bear and sat down in a little wooden rocking chair… and she began to rock. I watched her eyelids grow heavy and her head start to bob – and then she would jerk upright and start the process all over again. I asked her, “Zola, are you getting sleepy?” “NO!” came the instant, adamant retort! But within a few minutes, her little head was almost in her lap, as she sank lower and lower and totally conked out in that chair. I told Greg… “The rocking chair has done my work for me!”
I find it ironic that I can sit down to watch television and almost instantly fall asleep… but when I go to bed, I toss and turn for quite a while before I succumb to slumber. Why is that?! For a lot of us, bedtime is when we get still and quiet…but our minds continue to race. We think of all we did… all that did not get done… what we have to do the next day/week/year…and more. Even little children often find it hard to settle down and sleep. In our case, they want “one more” - book, movie or TV show, glass of juice… anything that will keep them up and at ‘em a while longer.
For those of us who are older, the problem may also be trying to cram in one more activity before we sleep… but often, it’s more a case of some type of worry or busyness. We are unable to shut down and relax, because the devil keeps tapping on our shoulder and saying, “HELLOOOOOOOO!!! What are you planning to do about such-and-such?” He gets our mind reeling… and manages to keep it that way until we are so exhausted we can’t help but fall asleep… or so “wired” that sleep is completely out of the picture!
Can I be quite honest here? I have actually tossed and turned at night thinking about whether I’m going to turn leftover chicken into a salad or a stew… and should I get up and check the expiration date on that package of whatever to determine if I need to use it first before I choose some other ingredient?! I feel pretty silly the next morning when I think about it and tell myself, “There was no rush… it’s not like you were going to get up and cook a meal before you slept!” And if you are honest, I bet you have let your mind run away with you about a thing or two at one point or another.
Let’s all take a collective breath and read this passage again…”I can lie down and sleep soundly because you, Lord, will keep me safe.” I have found that one thing that helps me to fall asleep quickly and soundly is to pray. I KNOW… sounds weird, huh?! Now, I’m not saying that prayer is boring… or that talking to God puts me to sleep – in that way! But what could be better than to fall asleep talking to God… to have conversation with Him as your last waking activity? We say “night-time prayers” with our little ones… why do you suppose we do this? Do you see that even without realizing it, we are preparing their hearts and minds – and their bodies – for perfect, sound sleep in the “safety” of God’s care?
When you think of the LORD keeping you safe as you sleep, don’t take this word so literally. Imagine that He is handling your schedule… your worries… your frustrations and your fears. God is the ultimate “Night Watchman” who handles everything… and knocks the devil off your shoulder… so that you can relax, refresh and renew - and REST peacefully. I don’t know about you, but that sounds pretty awesome to me! Does this mean we will never toss and turn again… or that something is wrong with us if we do? Absolutely not! Everyone will have times when sleep eludes us… for a myriad of reasons. But this is not God’s design - or His desire. God wants us to experience His peace in all areas of our life… even when we are not awake.
So talk to God… thank Him for His amazing love and protection – and for the blessing of being able to sleep soundly in complete peace. Like the little wooden rocking chair that swayed our 2-year-old Zola to sleep, God will take away our every burden and concern – and rock us gently in His arms. Call on Him to do this. Make your last words of the night a prayer to God. Awaken refreshed, energized, calm and peaceful knowing that He heard you…that He guarded your every breath… and He is ready to help you face whatever the day will bring. Rest well in the LORD… and sleep like His baby, because you are!
©2013 Debbie Robus
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