Devotion – During The Sleepless Nights of Illness, God is Still Awake
Posted Sep 03 2010 7:00am
“He will not let your foot slip – He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep,” (Psalm 121: 3-4).
I can’t sleep. And I’m not talking about an occasional sleepless night. I have insomnia. Medications for my condition are double-edged swords; some help and some cause more sleeplessness. I lay in bed. Staring at the ceiling. Squinting at the clock. Turning on my right side. Back to the back side. Deep breathing.
Some nights, Scripture meditation. Other nights, frustration. I pound the bed with my fists while tears roll down the sides of my face. And yet other times, I simply get up and busy myself until sleep overloads my eyelids. Then, I scurry back to bed.
Imagine being awake day and night. And not just being awake. But actually being on guard, watching, protecting not just anyone, but your beloved. Keeping your eyes on them continuously. Imagine not getting drowsy, sleepy, fatigued, or exhausted as you watch your love. Imagine not taking your eyes off them for even a second.
Imagine not getting bored while keeping watch. Not trying to seek a replacement so you can catch some Zs or do something more interesting. Imagine not being distracted.
Imagine being so awed that you won’t take your eyes away because you don’t want to miss not even one moment of the life that so has captivated you. Imagine even being enthralled when your beloved lays in bed at night, sleeping soundly, peacefully, helplessly as a babe.
Now, imagine watching when night fills your beloved with sleepless chaos. When the clock ticks and tocks and your beloved’s body betrays her, confuses her sleep patterns, and keeps her wide-eyed through the night. When her restless legs resist rest. When exhaustion taunts her with every breath. When she so desperately – yet unsuccessfully – seeks relief.
Even then – yes, more so then – our God is sleeping not. He is watching. Protecting. Preserving. Keeping his beloved from slipping into danger. Keeping the danger from overtaking his beloved.
The God who watched when night was calm is the God who watches when night’s astir. He neither slumbers nor sleeps. Thank God for sleeping not.
About the Author
Daphne is a freelance writer and speaker who comforts others with the comfort she herself has received from God. Contact Daphne at daphne@daphnewrites.com.
Like it? Please link back to this post!
We are a nonprofit Christian organization that reaches out to people who live with chronic illness. We've reached hundreds of thousands of people since 1997 simply because people like you linked to our web page, shared a post with others, or told a friend. Thank you for helping us continue our ministry.
I can’t sleep. And I’m not talking about an occasional sleepless night. I have insomnia. Medications for my condition are double-edged swords; some help and some cause more sleeplessness. I lay in bed. Staring at the ceiling. Squinting at the clock. Turning on my right side. Back to the back side. Deep breathing.
Some nights, Scripture meditation. Other nights, frustration. I pound the bed with my fists while tears roll down the sides of my face. And yet other times, I simply get up and busy myself until sleep overloads my eyelids. Then, I scurry back to bed.
Imagine being awake day and night. And not just being awake. But actually being on guard, watching, protecting not just anyone, but your beloved. Keeping your eyes on them continuously. Imagine not getting drowsy, sleepy, fatigued, or exhausted as you watch your love. Imagine not taking your eyes off them for even a second.
Imagine not getting bored while keeping watch. Not trying to seek a replacement so you can catch some Zs or do something more interesting. Imagine not being distracted.
Imagine being so awed that you won’t take your eyes away because you don’t want to miss not even one moment of the life that so has captivated you. Imagine even being enthralled when your beloved lays in bed at night, sleeping soundly, peacefully, helplessly as a babe.
Now, imagine watching when night fills your beloved with sleepless chaos. When the clock ticks and tocks and your beloved’s body betrays her, confuses her sleep patterns, and keeps her wide-eyed through the night. When her restless legs resist rest. When exhaustion taunts her with every breath. When she so desperately – yet unsuccessfully – seeks relief.
Even then – yes, more so then – our God is sleeping not. He is watching. Protecting. Preserving. Keeping his beloved from slipping into danger. Keeping the danger from overtaking his beloved.
The God who watched when night was calm is the God who watches when night’s astir. He neither slumbers nor sleeps. Thank God for sleeping not.
About the Author Daphne is a freelance writer and speaker who comforts others with the comfort she herself has received from God. Contact Daphne at daphne@daphnewrites.com.