The Sleeping Solution
“It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors. For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.” Psalm 127:2
The Sleeping Solution
Even in his sleep – This incredible thought comes to us with a problem. The word used here (shena) never occurs any other place in the Old Testament. There is a great deal of translation controversy about its function and meaning. Does it mean, “God provides even when those He loves are sleeping” or does it mean, “God provides sleep (that is, rest) to those He loves”. We must seek the answer from the context. While there is no way to know for sure what David had in mind, it is quite clear that God’s involvement in the lives of those He loves stands in stark contradiction to the lives of those who toil without Him. Whether we see God giving peaceful rest or providing the necessities of life, we can be sure of this: unless God builds the house, all effort is foolishness (Proverbs 127:1). If God isn’t intimately involved in your activities, you are going to reap nothing but anxious toil.
The contrast in this small Psalm is enormous. On the one hand we have men whose lives are consumed with self-fulfillment. They toil from dawn to dusk, carrying the weight of their own prosperity on their shoulders. They firmly believe that it is all up to them. They live in a world devoid of God’s gracious favor. They are lauded on the covers of Forbes, Time and Business Week. We parade them across the celebrity stage. But they take Valium and sleeping pills. Life is an enemy to be defeated.
On the other hand we find the follower of God. Asleep in the boat in the middle of the storm (Mark 4:38). At rest in the midst of life’s furor. Why? Because the follower knows that God watches over His beloved. Is this the lazy man’s path to riches? Not a chance. It is not about gain. It is about trust. If I trust God, I know that my efforts are in line with His purpose for me. If I trust God, I commit myself to His direction and let go of my anxious toils. If I trust God, He orders my steps and I step confidently. But I still step. What God provides, whether restful sleep or necessities while I sleep, never eliminates obedience. But it does eliminate frenzy, anxiety and self-sufficiency
A good night’s sleep does not depend on a better mattress or a Sleep Number Bed. It depends entirely on trust. Trust in yourself and you will never rest. Trust in God and He will give you what you need for rest. Jesus understood it perfectly. “Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden”.
