When We Don’t Sleep

by Heather Tietz

Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

Psalm 121:4

Slumber is defined as the heartiest state of sleep – sleep so deep it holds no memory of dreams.

During those hours of slumber, your tissue is rebuilding and your immune system is rejuvenating.

Most adults need about eight hours of sleep to function well. Without adequate zzzs, our memory, our mood, our immune system, even our perspective of pain doesn’t work correctly. We aren’t just dangerous behind the wheel, we’re not whole people. Most of us struggle to get those eight hours. Americans, research shows, especially lack them. Even when we make it successfully to bed, almost a quarter of us still can’t calm our minds and bid our bodies to really rest.

Thank God we’re not alone. He doesn’t sleep at all. God is spirit and has no need of a night’s rest to function well. He’s always perfect. He is always available. Thank Goodness!

When we lay in bed trying to sort through the problems of the day, trying to make our bills fit our wallet, our children follow our rules, our health squeeze into our schedules, as we try to make our duties manageable, our hearts right, God is aware and He’s awake. We don’t have to ponder alone. We can invite Him into our stress and ask for His direction.

He can give us the peace we need to rest.

Pray

Holy Lord,
Thank You for being available at all times.
Help me remember in my distress to seek You first.
In Jesus’ blessed name I pray, Amen.