“But You, O LORD, are a shield for me,
My glory and the One who lifts up my head.
I cried to the LORD with my voice,
And He heard me from His holy hill.
I lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the LORD sustained me.
My glory and the One who lifts up my head.
I cried to the LORD with my voice,
And He heard me from His holy hill.
I lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the LORD sustained me.
Psalm 3:3-5 NKJV
~~~~~
I
read the other day on a Health Website that “One in 10 Americans have
difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, and 42 million prescriptions for
sleeping pills were filled last year, an increase of almost 60 percent over
only five years.” A lot of issues are troubling our minds.
While
for some people a medical condition may be the cause of their sleep problem –
for others sleeplessness is caused by worry and fear. Their minds are filled
with “what if questions.” What if – the economy keeps getting worse - I lose my
job – we lose the house – this lump under my arm turns out to be cancer – and
on and on. The enemy of our soul doesn’t
run short of ideas with which to torment our minds and rob us of peace and sound
sleep.
David
wrote Psalm 3 when he was fleeing from his son Absalom who was out to kill him
and take over the throne. That sort of situation could cause sleepless nights
for most anyone. In utter humiliation he is running for his life from his own son.
But, instead of focusing on his problem - ten thousand men who were determined
to cut off his head - David chose to fix his thoughts on the Lord and cries out
to Him. Remarkably it’s not a plea for help, rather it’s an acknowledgment of
who God is. “Thou, O LORD, are a shield for me, My
glory and the One who lifts up my head.” With that confession he laid
down and went to sleep. In the morning he woke up safe and sound. The Lord had been
his shield of protection. In another Psalm David says, “In
peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.”
David’s
focus on God’s provision instead of the danger he faces, gives us a good clue
as to how we can overcome the doubts and fears that at times threaten to rob us
of sleep. Isaiah agrees and testifies, “You will keep
in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” Paul
joins right in and exhorts us, “Don’t worry about anything;
instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all
he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we
can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in
Christ Jesus.” Not surprisingly, Peter agrees with David and Paul and
says, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares
about you.”
“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times
and in every situation.”
