PRAISE & PRAYER PROMPT ••• The other day, I ran across a T-shirt that said, “Jesus took naps. Be like Jesus.”
I chuckled a little and thought of several people who would love that shirt.
I’ve never been much for napping.
I wake up from naps feeling foggy and disoriented.
Then, of course, I can’t sleep when it’s time to sleep.
Instead of napping, I’m one who will go to bed at 7, even when my husband looks at me like I’m crazy.
Last night, I wasn’t feeling great and went to bed around 8.
My allergies are kicking in for the spring.
And much to my mother’s chagrin, I never take allergy medicine because, coming full circle in our conversation, it makes me sleepy and I don’t like to take naps.
So it’s an annual cycle of feeling stuffy with a scratchy throat, lots of tea, no naps, going to bed early, with my mom and my husband trying to convince me to take medicine.
It’s a more consistent tradition than any holiday tradition we have in our family.
And as you may have picked up—I can be a little stubborn with my family.
I drive them crazy, but they love me anyway.
Despite going to bed feeling meh, I woke up pretty well.
I’m still stuffy but it’s okay.
I have plenty of Kleenex and tea.
Plus, I work from home now.
I may camp out on the couch later today with my laptop.
But as I was pouring my morning coffee and trying to access how I’m feeling, it occurred to me about what a gift sleep and rest are.
While I may dig in my heels like a two-year-old about nap time, God designed us for rest.
Psalm 3:5 says, “I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.”
The dictionary has several definitions for “sustained,” but we’re using the verb-version than means “to strengthen or support physically and mentally.”
And isn’t that just like God?
He equips us for any need we have.
Where we don’t have the strength to go on, He provides sustainability for us to continue.
His strength lifts us up, beyond anything we can accomplish on our own.
In this particular Psalm, King David was running from his son, Absalom.
Not only was he dealing with physical exhaustion, but emotional and mental too.
His son had rebelled, turned against him, and was trying to hurt him.
As a parent, I can empathize with the kind of hurt David must have experienced to be betrayed by his own flesh and blood.
And yet, God gave him rest and strength, to wake up, and continue.
Today, as you pray, thank God for designing rest as a part of His plan.
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you be alert when you need to be, but be willing to rest when you need to as well.
Ask Him to sustain you, as He did for David.
Ask Him to equip you with all you need.
One Response
Truly grateful that rest is part of the plan!! Thank you, dear Denise! 🙂 <3