Devotional: Sweet Sleep

Sweet Sleep

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...

This classic, 18th century, children's prayer has been repeated by young and old for many years. From the beginning of time until now, certain things remain constant; such as, sleep, death, distress, and hope. Every generation has had these, and more. A Psalm of David says, "Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer. How long, O you sons of men, Will you turn my glory to shame? How long will you love worthlessness and seek falsehood? But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly; The Lord will hear when I call to Him. Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord. There are many who say, 'Who will show us any good?' Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us. You have put gladness in my heart, more than in the season that their grain and wine increased. I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety" (Psalm 4:1-8).

There are days when sleep eludes us while distress and despair consume our every thought. Yet in the midst of our struggles, it is sleep and rest that help us re-evaluate and forge on. David knew God would hear him when he prayed. God had removed his distress before and David knew God would once again. Although his thoughts had meditated (too long perhaps) on the ungodliness of the world, David reminded himself that there was a way higher than his way of doing things. "Be angry and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still." Sleep. Trust. Be at peace. These are the soft, unspoken words of the Holy Spirit to those who are weary.

Maybe the writer of the children's prayer knew this. Maybe he or she needed more than rest from a long day's work. Maybe they whispered this to their child more for themselves than the child. Maybe they too, understood and related to David's evaluation: "I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."

If two people traveling together faced danger in their journey, one would stay on the look-out at night while the other slept. The one who slept could rest deeply and peacefully knowing the other was on guard. Children of God have the same reassurance. We have an enemy and it is imperative that we stay on the look-out; but when we lie down we can rest deeply and peacefully knowing who is on guard. "I will lift up my eyes to the hills- from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore" (Ps. 121:1-8).

God is our ever-present help. He watches over us with tender care, yet He is also ready to receive us when our days on earth are completed. Sleep is a transition between two periods of time. Most think of it as the time between night and dawn when a person rests, but sleep can also be used to describe those who have "slipped away." In defending the Gospel, Paul spoke of sleep in this manner: "After {His resurrection, Jesus} was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep" (1 Corinthians 15:6). In other words, at the time of Paul's letter to the Corinthians, there were many witnesses to Jesus' resurrection, yet some had "slipped away" - either in death or in faith. We could assume death, yet Paul said in another place, "Awake!" He wouldn't have had to command them to awake unless they had been in a type of sleep. "Awake [from your drunken stupor and return] to sober sense and your right minds, and sin no more. For some of you have not the knowledge of God [you are utterly and willfully and disgracefully ignorant, and continue to be so, lacking the sense of God’s presence and all true knowledge of Him]. I say this to your shame" (1 Corinthians 15:34, Amplified).

Even when Jesus taught things that were hard to understand, people "slipped away" one by one. "From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more" (John 6:66). Trust was missing. Those in this category do not have rest without fear.

But as the poem suggests, "If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take." Before "slipping away" to la-la-land, this person confidently put themselves in God's care - no fears, no anxieties, no frets or worries - just perfect trust. Much like Solomon, who wrote about the person who clings to God and His Word: "...keep sound and godly Wisdom and discretion, for they will be life to your inner self, and a gracious ornament to your neck (your outer self). Then you will walk in your way securely and in confident trust, and you shall not dash your foot or stumble. When you lie down, you shall not be afraid; yes, you shall lie down, and your sleep shall be sweet" (Proverbs 3:21-24, Amplified).

Yes, regardless of where we are in our span of life, there is a rest for those who have put their faith in God. These can pray, "Now {when} I lay me down to sleep, I KNOW the Lord my soul will keep. And if I should die before I wake, I {can be confident} my life He'll take..."