If the Lord is with you, you can rest in peace. - Day 4

100 Days with David

Day 4: If the Lord is with you, you can rest in peace.

“I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭3:5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

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

I remember when I was a child, sometimes dreading for night to come. If I had been scared by something during the day, I could put it out of my mind; but it seemed with the stillness of the night, it would come back to me, manifesting in bad dreams and restless sleep. Sadly, for many people, troubled sleep doesn’t end with childhood. I remember my mother saying that when she went to bed at night, all of her fears would come back to her mind, and then she would worry. Why? Because during the day she was busy with her responsibilities and the clamor of life. But the stillness of the night, without all those distractions, allowed that nagging fear to manifest itself.

When inquiring about your worst fear(s) people will often ask, “What keeps you up at night?” Apparently, sleep disturbed by worry is ubiquitous.

Doing a cursory look into the cost of insomnia, I found that it adds nearly 100 billion dollars to the cost of the healthcare system in the United States, per year. Imagine the cost worldwide! But, the monetary drain pales in comparison to the drain on productivity, and on a personal level, to a sense of well-being. Now, whereas this is all true, it should not be true for the child of God.

In our opening passage for today we see David expressing the fact that he can rest in peace, rest with confidence, knowing that although he is asleep, the Lord is awake, watching over him. This confidence to be able to rest In peace is echoed in two of the songs of ascent; one is credited to David’s son, Solomon. [Psalms 120 - 134 are considered “songs of ascent,” apparently sung as worshipers climbed the hill towards Jerusalem, or on other pilgrimages.]

“Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭127:1-2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ (Solomon)

“He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭121:3-4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The Lord once spoke to me that there are two dangerous mind sets. One is that of “sufficiency outside of God,” the other, surprisingly, is “insufficiency in God.” Now, many do struggle with laying aside the troubles of the day as they lie down to sleep. But the Lord is our Shepherd and He leads us into the green pastures of His provision, care, and keeping. If He is not with us, we have every reason to worry; but, if He is with us, we have every reason to have confidence that He is taking care of us.

The sentiment to “rest in peace,” should not be reserved for the dead; they are beyond their need for rest. However, we who are living, desperately need to rest in peace by remembering that the Lord watching over us.

For today let us know and understand what David knew:

If the Lord is with you, you can REST IN PEACE!

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