Sleep

“I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.” [Psalm 3:6]

If you are like me, there are times when going to sleep is very difficult. The mind races with our cares and fears, peace is gone and we are overcome with worry. In Psalm 3, we find David running for his life. His son Absalom had rebelled and David has fled to the Mount of Olives. As night sets in he arrives at the top of the mount. He and his small band of loyal men settle down for the night. Instead of tossing and turning, worrying whether or not Absalom will find him, David sleeps.

Why was he able to sleep under such stressful circumstances? First in praying he tells God all his troubles. Peter said we are to cast “all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” [1 Peter 5:7] Then David recognizes his resources are not of human origin but from God. Thirdly David then asks for help and commits himself to God’s care by putting his trust in the Lord. David tells us that he “cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill.” [3:5] Finally, he laid dawn. No pacing, no fretting, no looking for his enemies nor trying to figure out how to defeat Absalom. He just laid down and slept.

In the morning after a good night’s sleep, David again prayed and asked God for His help. By doing this he was expressing his confidence and trust in the Lord. Why was all this possible? He could recall many difficult situations and say, “thou hast…” God had not failed him in the past. David knew God would not fail him now. His deliverance wasn’t going to be the result of human schemes or human might but “salvation belongeth to the Lord.”

Have your problems, your fears or your worries kept you awake? Do you want a good night’s sleep? Follow David’s example by telling God your problems, realize you have divine resources at your disposal, ask for help and exercise your trust in God by claiming God’s promises and commit your problem to the Lord. Then lay down and sleep. The Lord will keep you.