Picture by Caprice
Miller
“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for
you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.” – Psalm 4:8
Poor baby horse is tired! I’m sure many of us can relate. There are times when I seem to be on the go
for so long and then I hit the preverbal wall and just need rest. But those “go, go, go” seasons of life don’t
allow much time for rest. Even “hitting
the wall” doesn’t always provide the true rest we need. Our bodies may be still, but our minds are
constantly spinning with what may be next on the agenda. Even if there isn’t a “next” we keep thinking
about what is supposed to be next that was left off the list.
The culture we live in today has a hard
time turning off and not thinking of “the list”. With technology at our fingertips we don’t
have to turn off. The world and our
lists are always there to keep us company.
The art of peace and quiet seems to be on its way to extinction. There are many who are even disturbed by
silence. To them it is really a
deafening “sound”. Perhaps it is a
fear of being alone or having to think about the thoughts that might occur in
our minds during the silence or perhaps it’s the unusual sounds that are
naturally heard in silence. Whatever it
is, there is a lack of peacefulness like the horse in the picture seems to be
experiencing. Perhaps it sleeps so well
because its mother is watching over it. Maybe
that’s the key. Do we trust God enough
to leave the list in His hands?
The Psalm above is one that King David
wrote while he was distressed about turmoil going on around him. David
knew he had to keep a watch over his shoulder constantly because he never knew
who might try to stab him in the back – literally and figuratively. So to declare that he could find peace in the
Lord so he could lie down and sleep was huge.
Do we trust Him enough to lie down and sleep in peace?
I’ve noticed that when I don’t trust my
list and issues to God, I really have a difficult time resting. I even dream about the list and issues I just
won’t give to Him. When I wake up, I
realize I’ve been thinking of them all night and my rest was anything but
peaceful. I know that my rest is
important and without it, my mind is not focused where it needs to be. My creativity is non-existent. My attitude is less than stellar. Basically, I begin to just exist from day-to-day
rather than live the life God intended for me.
Wow, who knew peace and quiet could be so important? In another Psalm we are reminded of another
reason it’s important:
“Be
still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the
world.” – Psalm 46:10 (NLT)
Think about it. If we don’t
trust God enough to give Him our list and issues, there could very well be a
lack of peace that prevents us from being still so we can know God and find
rest. By being still we are able sense
God’s voice in our hearts. As we
recognize His voice we begin to trust Him more and more. As we trust Him, we
honor Him in our lives. As others see
this happening in our lives, they just might be inspired and influenced to do
the same. Before you know it, a giant
ripple effect will have occurred. We
will witness God being honored in every nation and throughout the world. And just think, it could all start with us. Do you need a peaceful sleep tonight? Go ahead, trust Him and enjoy the peace and
quiet of being still.
