Wednesday, April 18, 2012

A to Z Blogging Challenge "Peace"


"Peace"

“In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
            Psalm 4:8


Does this ever happen to you? You go to bed, ready to sleep…and as soon as you turn off the light you begin to worry, fret, relive the negative parts of the day, worry some more, go over and over things you said and did, things you should have said and done, things you shouldn’t have said or done…


David, the writer of this Psalm, certainly had reason to fret and worry over his actions and decisions. 
  • Saul, the king of Israel, became jealous and was trying to kill David (1 Sam. 19).
  •  David and his men came back from a battle and found that their wives and children had been captured  (1 Sam. 30).
  • There was fighting between the houses of Saul and David (2 Sam. 3). 
  • He had committed adultery with Bathsheba and when she became pregnant David schemed to have Uriah, her husband, killed so that he and Bathsheba could marry and the adultery wouldn’t be discovered. As a result, the prophet Nathan told David that his son would die (2 Samuel 11). 
  • David’s own son, Absalom, was plotting to kill him (2 Sam. 14) 

With all of this going on in his life, it’s amazing David got any sleep at all! But clearly he knew that God was faithful, had forgiven him, and would keep him safe, despite his sins. He was not able to only lie down, but to sleep, despite the turmoil in his life. And in Psalm 3:5 David says, “I will wake again, because the Lord sustains me.”  He is confident that he will not just lie down and sleep, but that he will wake again. .

When you lie down tonight, ask for forgiveness for your sins. Then you can sleep in peace, knowing that the Lord loves you, forgives you, and will sustain and keep you safe through the night.  

Lord, please let me feel Your presence tonight as I lie down to sleep. Give me the reassurance that you will keep me in safety and sustain me. Thank you! Amen.

I’m also blogging at Home is Where the Mom Is .
Today’s post will help you to “Prepare for Sick Days” for
yourself and/or your kids.