Thankful Thursday - Sleep, Glorious Sleep

I've written on the subject of sleep before, but I just couldn't help talking about it again!

I love to sleep. You can hear me caroling "It's the most wonderful time of the day!" while I am making down the bed.

In fact, I come from a long line of good sleep-ers!  I had an uncle that used to take naps to get ready for "the main event." (Sleeping through the night.) My dad spent many an evening snoring on the couch oblivious to the noise going on around him.


Since I love sleep so much, it just follows that I love things that make it easy to sleep:  comfy mattresses, fluffy pillows, gentle breezes from fans in the summer, downy comforters and a toasty warm heater in winter, nightclothes made in a soft material, and cool and silky sheets.


One day, I was watching a missions special on the James Robison's "Life Today" show, I saw a clip about a family in a third world country who lived in a shack.  The roof seemed like it was made out of plastic sheets and cardboard. But what really upset me was the family bed:  a piece of cardboard laid out on the ground inside the shack.  Inside a shack where the roof would have to leak on a rainy night.


Ever since that day, I have become aware of the blessings around me.  When my kids were still home, I would exclaim loudly after going to bed, "Thank you, Lord, for these nice pillows." Or, "I praise you, God, for this wonderful mattress."  (Sort of like John-Boy Walton calling out good night to his brothers and sisters on the TV show, "The Waltons".)  The kids would groan, and I'm sure they rolled their eyes, but I wanted them to get the message - everything we have is a gift from God.

What if I have all these material blessings and then still can't sleep?  What if worry is keeping me up at night, or fear's icy fingers grabs me by the throat everytime my head starts to sink in the pillow?

I go to the one thing I can always depend on to find an answer for my problems, I go to God's Word, the Bible.

David in the Old Testament could have had a sleep problem, his son and many of David's former subjects were out to kill him so they could take over his kingdom. Yet David was able to sleep because He knew the Lord would take care of him.

"I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me." Psalm 3:5

Not only does he sleep, he sleeps peacefully!

"In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety." Psalm 4:8

How can he do that?  He can sleep because he knows that if he calls out to God, God hears him.

"... the LORD hears when I call to him." Psalm 4:3

We can sleep because God does not sleep.

"indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep." Psalm 121:4

So, if I really believe God sustains me (keeps me where I need to be) hears me when I call and He is always available and watching over me, why should I toss and turn all night worrying?

I just have a talk with my Father God, then fluff up my pillow, and sink into it knowing that in a few minutes I will be asleep, and somehow everything will be alright.

Oh, the enemy will try to distract you from sleeping, but if you just repeat God's Word to him every time he puts a worrisome thought in your mind, he will leave and go bug someone else.

I'm linking this post to Iris at her blog, Grace Alone.  She is this month's Thankful Thursday hostess. Join in and read other thankful hearts!