PSALM 121:1-4 – “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”

THEME OF THE DAY: THE LORD NEITHER SLUMBERS NOR SLEEPS.  Sleepless nights. All of us have them. The reasons are many. Perhaps it’s a mother staying up with a sick child.  Or long nights due to vocational demands. It might even be extended hours giving time to an emotionally distraught brother or sister who needs a listening ear or a ministering hand.

There are other reasons for sleepless nights beyond caring for others. Here are three that drain us physically, spiritually, and emotionally, often leaving us so exhausted we cannot sleep. But first, think about what they do to us.  We find ourselves pacing the floor, lying in our beds tossing and turning, or simply staring at the ceiling, tired, but wide awake.

Now the “big three” causing sleepless nights – stress, worry, and anxiety.  They are all in the same family, the family of unbelief or mistrust. All of them come from painful circumstances we cannot change; from people who cause us fear or tension, and from situations that we cannot control leaving us feeling helpless and hopeless.

So, how do we go from sleepless nights of stress, worry, and anxiety to a good night of sleep trusting in God who never slumbers or sleeps?  The following illustration gives us sound application, and it is rooted in the truth of today’s scripture. Not only is the Lord our help, but He constantly watches over us.

A mother and her little four-year-old daughter were preparing to retire for the night. The child was afraid of the dark, and the mother, on this occasion alone with the child, felt fearful also. When the light was out, the child caught a glimpse of the moon outside the window. “Mother,” she asked, “is the moon God’s light?” “Yes,” said the mother. The next question was, “Will God put out His light and go to sleep?” The mother replied, “No, my child, God never goes to sleep.” Then out of the simplicity of a child’s faith, she said that which gave reassurance to the fearful mother, “Well, as long as God is awake, there is no sense both of us staying awake.”

Out of the mouth of a babe!  Wise words that lead to a good night’s sleep!

PRAYER: Father, I praise You that You never change, never sleep, and never slumber, and I am forever safe.

REFLECTION: Why stay awake at night fretting and riddled with anxiety?  The Lord reigns. Sleep well.