A Good Night's Sleep

We have become a generation of people who are obsessed with safety.  From the time our children are born, we work to keep them safe.  We measure the distance between the slats in their crib.  We buy the right car seat and have someone teach us how to install it properly.  We teach them about “stranger danger”.  Never are they allowed to get on a bicycle without the admonition to “put your helmet on!”

While there is nothing wrong with this, it does create the illusion that if we do all of these things, we will be safe.  The problem with this is that there will always be something we miss, something just outside of our control, something that never occurred to us.  When we depend on our own actions and devices, safety is an illusion.  Just when we begin to feel secure, we forget that it may well be that a drunk driver has gotten behind the wheel of a car, the tornado season hits, or a fanatic gets on an airplane.

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

The key to actually being safe rests with trust in God alone.  Only He knows the future.  Only He controls the wind. In His hand alone do we rest.  Understanding this creates a great deal of freedom and peace for the believer.  Because we understand that God in His very nature is good and trustworthy, and because we know that He causes all things to work together for our good, we can relax and enjoy this adventure called life.  Whatever we go through, we can rest in peace because we know that we are secure in Him.  Whatever life brings, we will not face it alone, and when it ends, eternity is secured for us.

As we continue to remind our kids to put a helmet on, we can also remind them to take chances, to risk rejection, to love others, to share the love of God with those around them.  We can lead by example, well rested, and at peace.

         Note: Last week we talked about life verses. I would love it if you would share yours with me and my readers. We can encourage each other!