Sunday, August 29: Are you sleeping?

While in a hotel in Lone Pine, CA, Tuesday night, I set the alarm on my cell phone for 7:30 a.m. When the alarm sounded, I arose, immediately noticing that it was still pitch dark outside. Looking closer at the clock, I discovered that it was 5:30 instead of 7:30. Somehow, I must have made a mistake when setting the alarm. Returning to bed, I thought that there are no mistakes with God, as it all is a part of His plan. Instead of sleeping more, I dressed and quietly crept outside. I drove the 10 miles toward Mt. Whitney, amazed at the beauty of the full moon hovering over the majestic peak. I quickly set up a tripod and camera to capture that magnificence, then minutes later, watched the rising sun illuminate the east face in its spectacular alpenglow. It was a special morning alone with the Lord, after a restful night and an unexpected awakening.


Sleep is a wonderful gift. That nightly slumber can rejuvenate the body, soul and spirit. Additionally, it is a perfect balance. Sleep too many hours and lethargy seems to mark each step throughout the day. Sleep too little and the day is equally difficult. Many people suffer from insomnia, having trouble falling asleep, trading that rejuvenation for worry and doubt. Safety while sleeping helps each of us to rest peacefully, without fear of robbery or assault.


2For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night.
1 Thessalonians 5:2-7


As Christians, there is no fear of the Lord’s coming, for it is neither a surprise nor a curse. Yet to an unbelieving world, the return of Jesus will not be pleasant, as His wrath and judgment will be upon them. In this passage, Paul is not telling us that sleep is detrimental, but sleeping blindly is problematic. To sleep soberly is to be aware of potential dangers, all the while trusting God for His protective hand of guidance. Is a thief in the night a concern if you anticipate the thief’s arrival? Even while sleeping, we are to keep a watchful eye on attacks from many directions. While awaiting arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus awoke His disciples:


45 When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. 46 Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”
Luke 22:45-46


When you wake up in the middle of the night, do you think of it as a rude interruption to a peaceful night or as a call to prayer? When Elijah battled the 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah, when their “god” didn’t respond, Elijah called attention to the false god’s lack of power:


And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.”
1 Kings 18:27

We serve a God who never sleeps! He keeps a watchful eye upon each of His children, protecting us, guiding us and caring for us. He tucks us in and wakes us up when it is time. He loves us so much that He cannot take His eyes off of us! Many people believe in a God who is too busy to hear our prayers and consequently, too busy to answer those prayers. Yet our God is so powerful that He has time for us all! If He interrupts your sleep, He probably wants to talk! If you are His, you can rest assured that He will take care of you!


“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
Matthew 25:1-13