Rest In The Lord

Sleeping Like A Baby Psalm 3 But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.(Psalm 3:3-5) We were taught this little night time prayer and I remember praying it. And being comforted, but it became more of a ritual than a comforting prayer after a while, and it held me back from making a commitment to not sinning through out the day. I figured if I said that prayer each nigt, that if I died during the night, I would wake up in heaven. Listen to the little prayer - I would say. This version gives two verses to the prayer, - "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." Giving me at the time a peaceful rest, and then you can continue- "Now I lay me down to sleep,I pray the Lord my soul to keep, Watch and guard me through the night,And wake me with the morning light.Amen. Both very true and very needed, but they needed more teaching in relation to the relationship needed with Jesus and connecting the two. As I grew older, even though I knew God was with me, and would protect me, I didnt fully understand that protection and the promise to do so. When I was a little older in life, in the early years of Bible School, I learned that God never sleeps, He is always awake and watching and He will hold things together while I get the much needed rest for the following day. After all that is how God created us, in the facr that we need sleep, we need rest.. We were made to sleep at night and to work during the day. Even, David cried out, “Lord, how many are my foes!” (Psalm 3:1). I'm taking it David was tired of fighting His foes. I am sure He was thinking of all of the nights he couldn't get to sleep, because the enemy was so close. So David continues, “I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear” (vv. 5-6). I love it that David realized that God, not Absalom, was in charge of his situation. We too must realize that God is in charge, now we ourselves and not the situations we are facong, but God is the one in charge, He is in control. We must ecknowledge that God is in control, by trusting Him, just as David did, when He sent the ark of the covenant back to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 15:25-26). At times, I need to pray myself to sleep, because some pressing things that need doing the next day tries to steel my nights sleep from me. Thats what I do, when sleep feels like its not going to come easy. So when I have had trouble in the day time and am facing a busy hectic day ahead the next morning,I will pray until I fall to sleep. I stop and think about the fact that there are many things that are outside of my control, and yet on the other hand, they are not outside of God's control. He has it all under control. As I pray God allows me to sleep, to get the rest I need and He, God sustains me as I trust Him, He help me to lie down in peace and get the sleep and rest I need. Let me leave you with some peacful verses from God's word to comfort you and prepare you for rest. Psalm 4:8: "In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety." Proverbs 3:24: "When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet." Psalm 3:5: "I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me. Matthew 11:28: "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Psalm 127:2: "In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those he loves." 1 Peter 5:7: "Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." Psalm 23:2: "He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters. "Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Over the years these verses have been a comfort to me, knowing God is always there, day and night, watching over my comings and my goings. My God is a good and loving and caring God. Thank you God for the great God you are Dear God, thank You for keeping watch while I sleep and when I wake.. Help me to trust my days and my nights into your hands I will do my part during the day, in your strength, and at night help me learn to rest in you, and in your watching over me, while I sleep. It is in your name I pray AMEN