SOUND SLEEP

Time with Jesus - Friday, 22 February 2013

Jim & Phyllida Strickland at home in South Africa

Hi all,

Christians and non-Christians all appear to have suffered from some form of insomnia in their lifetime. In most cases, it is brought about by feelings of insecurity. Others are kept awake worrying about something. Usually, the fear is groundless. My father used to say, “They are afraid of the death they will never see”. I’ve also heard comments about worry saying “These are the instalments we pay on the car we will never see or own”. Paul put is as follows: ⁶ Don't worry about anything. Instead, tell God about everything. Ask and pray. Give thanks to him. Philip 4:6 NIrV

Jesus’ comment on worry is very sobering and to the point. ²⁵ "I tell you, do not worry. Don't worry about your life and what you will eat or drink. And don't worry about your body and what you will wear. Isn't there more to life than eating? Aren't there more important things for the body than clothes? ²⁶ "Look at the birds of the air. They don't plant or gather crops. They don't put away crops in storerooms. But your Father who is in heaven feeds them. Aren't you worth much more than they are? ²⁷ "Can you add even one hour to your life by worrying? Mat 6:25-27 NIrV

I recall David Pawson’s comment on this. He said that worry is an insult to Almighty God. It’s saying God is more interested in His pets and plants than men and women. I’m only His child so I need to worry! An interesting observation!

I’ve often wondered why God designed us as creatures which need sleep. I’ve even wondered if perhaps sleep is one of the side effects of the fall of man? My difficulty with this thought is the fact that Jesus slept. Certainly His “humanity” required sleep. His “Divinity” had no need for sleep. Of course sleep is a way of “switching off” a nagging wife or a blustering husband. If the cap fits ….. It also gives exhausted parents a break from the demands of infants of all ages. Finally, although God has no need for rest or sleep, it does give Him a break from the blethering of a proud and arrogant humanity!

Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland 

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Friday, 22 February 2013			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
©	These devotionals are the intellectual property of Jim Strickland and copyright protected. You are welcome to copy and distribute them to anyone provided it is for non-commercial Christian purposes					©
INTRODUCTION			DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	Sound Sleep
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? 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. 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. Psalm 121, 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? Jim & Phyllida Strickland			21 My son, hold on to good sense and the understanding of what is right. Don't let them out of your sight. 22 They will be life for you. They will be like a gracious necklace around your neck. 23 Then you will go on your way in safety. You will not trip and fall. 24 When you lie down, you won't be afraid. When you lie down, you will sleep soundly. Pro 3:21-24 NIrV 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, "Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?" Mark 4:37-40 ESV 6 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. 7 Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philip 4:6-7 NLT 7 You put more joy in my heart than when their grain and new wine increase. 8 I fall asleep in peace the moment I lie down because you alone, O LORD, enable me to live securely. Psalm 4:7-8 GW 2 It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to His loved ones. Psalm 127:2 NLT 59 As the rocks rained down, Stephen prayed, "Master Jesus, take my life." 60 Then he knelt down, praying loud enough for everyone to hear, "Master, don't blame them for this sin"--his last words. Then he died. Saul was right there, congratulating the killers. Acts 7:59-60 MSG 8 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please Him. 2 Cor 5:8-9 NLT	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 22 February 2012