Peace, Sleep & Safety

"Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.  Amen"

When I was a little girl, I used to pray this prayer each night before falling asleep, and if I was scared of the shadows that formed on my wall by the light of the moon making its way through my bedroom window, I would sing, "Jesus Loves Me" until I drifted off to sleep.

Psalm 4:8 says, "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety."

I can't help but think of the life of David when I read this verse today.  (After all, he wrote it!)

But to think, first, of how he was a shepherd boy.  Many nights he was out in a cold, dark field among animals and beasts who wanted to steal his lambs for a midnight snack!  And yet, he knew the Lord would allow him peace, rest and safety.

Then, as an anointed King, who was not yet on the throne, running from Saul.  The caves, rocks and hills where he spent many nights on the run, hiding from his enemies.

And then in Psalm 23:2a where David writes, "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures...."

Our 'beds' may be made up of many things-

But God promises that when we lay down our heads at the end of the day, He will give us peace, sleep and safety!

What a Mighty God we serve!

We can let go of all the anxiety and stress of the day, knowing that we are in the hand of God, under His care and protection.

And when we wake, we can praise Him for keeping His promise!

I think sometimes, we forget some of the promises of God, and by doing so, we take for granted all that our Saviour gives us on a day-to-day basis.

Without peace, rest and safety, we would not be able to function during the day.

Our God supplies all our needs...

    Even the ones we don't think of...

        But that's just me!

"Every hour of every day, God is richly blessing us; both when we sleep and when we wake His mercy waits upon us."  Charles Spurgeon