In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
Psalms 4:8
We live in a culture full of fads. What is popular today, may disappear in a month. Products once billed as necessary and essential for life, can be found in the bargain bin at the local department store soon after they are introduced. Here today and gone tomorrow seems to be the mantra that drives American consumption.
One of the latest products to be marketed and sold tracks our sleeping patterns. Only time will tell whether it is a fad or something that sticks around. Users wear a device on their wrists, download an app, or can even purchase a sonar alarm clock that gives them details concerning how they slept. Some say we are losing our minds. No, we are not. But we are losing sleep.
It’s not a mystery that the modern person is having trouble sleeping. Our days are so full of activity and thought that it is hard to dial our minds down before bed. Especially when we know more of the same is coming tomorrow. Parenting, work, ministry, and other pressures don't take days off. Our heads hit the pillow and it often seems like every anxiety, worry, and stress we have pops up to prevent us from sleeping peacefully. We try to develop nightly routines to induce sleep. We may even invest in a device that tells us exactly how many minutes a night we are lying awake. As if knowing exactly will somehow take away our anxieties.
It is somewhat strange to think of how helpless we become when we can’t sleep. Just lying there, like little children, unable to do anything to help our sleepless situation. Full-grown adults who have seemingly reverted back into helpless, whining toddlers seeking safety in our souls.
Bedtime Doctrine
David gets theological when he goes to bed. The result—peaceful sleep. We should follow his example. David’s life is constantly thrown into upheaval throughout the Book of Psalms. Sound familiar? His life is full of circumstances that should cause him to toss and turn all
night. But that’s not the case. David knows where peaceful sleep comes from.
Safety in this life does not come from a smooth day; a day in which no problems arise for us to worry about and fret over. It doesn’t even come from a life free of difficult circumstances (as if there was such a thing). Safety and security isn't a result of money in the bank, a clean bill of health, or having insurance policies on everything you own. David knows that God alone makes him dwell in safety; it is God who provides safety for his soul. Although David experiences a level of stress most of us never will, he is still able to rest knowing God is able to calm his frenzied soul.
The Sleep and Safety Our Savior Gives
No matter what happens in our lives, we are safe with God. Our eternities are secure, our sins are paid for, our guilt is removed, and the Holy Spirit promises to provide all the strength and wisdom we need. Our help truly does come from the Lord. We may not know what our future will bring, but we know the One who will meet us there full of grace, truth, and love—Jesus.
The greatest problems you can face, the most disheartening news you can receive, and the biggest threats to your eternal safety have been taken care of by Christ. The Bible is not filled with mere theological ideas and concepts. It details truth surrounding realities that you are intended to personally and practically experience in all parts of your life—even at bedtime. Peace is yours to have.
Not a Fad
Unlike most everything in our culture, the safety God provides is not a fad. It is not here today and gone tomorrow. God’s love and care for his children is constant and perfect. We are always able to bring our tired souls into the presence of God to experience forgiveness, restoration, and rest. Sleep well--you are safe.