SOUND SLEEP

Time with Jesus - Wednesday, 22 February 2012

Hi all,

We know that God never makes mistakes. It follows that everything He has done, is doing, or will do is 100% correct. But every now and then we look at things and puzzle why it was made the way He has made it. For me, the question is sleep. Why was it written into our systems? Hey, I’m not knocking it. It’s wonderful. But why was it included? I’m told that ants don’t sleep. So why do we?

It seems such a waste of time. About 8 hours per day is the average sleep we need. For some it’s a lot more and for others it’s a lot less. I’m also aware that sleep deprivation is used to get people psychologically unbalanced.

The Bible tells us that God worked for six days and rested on the seventh. We refer to this “day off” as the Sabbath. Why did God rest? He wasn’t tired. He never will be tired. If God tires, you and I are dead. He upholds everything by the power of His Word. So if He went to sleep, it would all fall apart! You can’t uphold anything while you are sleeping.

We understand that He was not speaking about rest in the sense that He was tired. He “rested” in that He ceased creating. How long this was in terms of our concept of time is interesting. Some think He perhaps went away on holiday in much the same way we do. But He doesn’t need a holiday. He has no needs. He didn’t make man because He was lonely. God is not, never has been and never will be lonely. He is utterly complete and needs nothing. We do not make Him better or worse. He is timeless and changeless. He made us for His own good pleasure. We can’t even say He wanted to, because He has no wants.

God does not sleep. So why has He created us to need sleep? We could make all sorts of suggestions. They may or may not be true. It must be something to do with the environment in which we live. Of course He designed it this way; light, gravity, air, water, and all the other factors that are the essentials of life. We are not robots. He could have made a race of robots. But such a creation would not have the ability to love or hate. In the end, in His infinite knowledge and grace, He designed man to fit into the environment He created. Actually, that’s the very opposite of the truth. He had us in mind at the very beginning. Thus everything was created so that we could live here. Every law of nature and the universe was designed with us in mind.

Psalm 121, one of the Songs of Ascent for the pilgrims going up to Jerusalem touches on the way God takes care of His people. ¹ I look up to the hills. Where does my help come from? ² My help comes from the LORD. He is the Maker of heaven and earth. ³ He won't let your foot slip. He who watches over you won't get tired. ⁴ In fact, he who watches over Israel won't get tired or go to sleep. Psalm 121:1-4 NIrV It doesn’t tell us why we need sleep. But it does speak of our Creator God watching over us day and night. This is our God. He doesn’t need to sleep. It’s wonderful to know that even when we are “locked in the arms of slumber” He is watching over us. Awake or asleep, we are safe in the arms of Jesus. So why do we sleep? Could it be so that we can learn to trust Him? Perhaps to learn to trust Him even when we are sleeping? What do you think?

Today’s meditation looks a bit more into this topic

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Sound Sleep

It’s not so much the sleeping, but the problems on your mind. The cares and the anxieties that we so often find, Make us pace the bedroom, looking for a way, To make the day ahead of us, far better than today. For Christians it is silly. That’s what the Lord has said. It’s pointless if we worry. We should get into bed, And leave it all with Jesus. That’s what the Bible says. Leave your many problems with the Ancient of all Days. We know we shouldn’t worry. But nonetheless we do. And often, as a consequence, we get into a stew. The “Video” keeps playing in the forefront of the mind. We’ve put it on “repeat play”, so how can we unwind? We feel a bit like cattle in the local abattoir. We think the knife is coming, let’s get away as far, As it is ever possible. Let’s “run away” to France. This thing which we are facing, is no Divine romance. And so we keep on worrying and we can’t fall asleep. We’ve even gone so far as lying down and counting sheep. But we have found it pointless. The worry in the mind, While looking for solutions, ensures that we are blind, To all the possibilities that Christ already knows. So why not switch the light off and go ahead and doze? It’s sad we don’t know Jesus in the way a Christian should. We know He’s God Almighty and we’d trust Him if we could. But worry is a habit, that all of us enjoy. Forgetting this is Satan’s trick. It’s actually his ploy, To keep our eyes off Jesus and to focus on the mess. Then it will be impossible for Jesus Christ to bless, The one who has the problem. And Satan carries on, Till our relationship with Christ has absolutely gone! So here is a suggestion, when you’re going through this pain, Say, “Satan I am certain this is only you again. Go and take a journey. This is your handiwork. For somewhere in the background you are always on the lurk, To try and get a Christian to focus upon you, Instead of praying, “Master I know that You can do, Everything that’s needed to spike the devil’s guns; And since You’ve told me plainly that we are both God’s sons Won’t you please assist me to chase this “guy” away? He is getting boring with the nonsense he does say! He is most unwelcome in this little home of mine. It’s been dedicated to Jesus Christ Divine. Father, send him packing. I never want to see, Him stopping me from sleeping, when I really have to be, Ready for tomorrow. Alive again once more, For only You are welcome to come inside my door!” Jim Strickland  Written Wednesday, 22 February 2012