The Gift of Sleep

Sleep--who needs it? Sometimes, I wish I could do without it. Just think, if I didn't have to sleep, I could accomplish so much more in a 24-hour period of time. Without sleep, I would have plenty of time to clean the house, do the laundry, home-school Levi, try out a new recipe, even watch an occasional movie.  I would have time to paint more pictures and write more music. I could schedule extra quality time with the grandkids. Oh, the books I could read, and write! 

Limitless energy would be quite a gift, wouldn't it? Yet God, in his wisdom, made us with a need for sleep. As we are reminded, in 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. 

"He grants sleep to those he loves." That's a little hard to grasp. It is challenging to think of sleep as a gift, when we are so enmeshed in useful activity. It's go-go-go, from dawn to midnight, as we rush from one diversion to another. If we stop to rest, we might miss out on something important. At least, that seems to be the mindset of so many people I know.

Still, God knows what we need. He created us with a definite need for sleep, a time for our brains to shut down and get some rest, time for our bodies to lie still, time for our cells to rejuvenate, time for healing to occur.

We can't help but wonder why God couldn't have made us totally invincible, able to keep going forever without stopping. But, on second thought, I guess he did. It's just too bad about that fall into sin, way back when Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden. Perhaps our need for sleep is just another consequence of sin, one more thing that will go by the wayside when we enter Heaven.

Meanwhile, if we try to stay awake too long, strange things happen. Headaches and exhaustion give way to impaired ability to accomplish everyday tasks. Speech becomes slurred or garbled. Hallucinations are a common by-product of sleep deprivation. Without sleep, we will die.

Let's consider the miracle of sleep. We close our eyes and, within a few minutes, we lose consciousness. Our bodies move just enough to keep us comfortable. Our brains go into sleep mode, too, keeping our slowed breathing in its rhythm and our hearts beating steadily. And after a few hours, we regain consciousness, refreshed and ready to start another day.

It's during those long nights, when I have trouble sleeping, that I realize what a gift sleep really is. When my mind just won't shut off, I find myself pleading with God for his gift of sleep. Much like a malfunctioning computer, my brain needs a chance to shut down and restart. It is a blessing to begin a new day, slate wiped clean, refreshed and ready to go.

So, with all that in mind, it's time to call it a day. Again, it is time for sleep. Sweet dreams and good night!

In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety. 
Psalm 4:8 NIV