Key scripture – “It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones” (Psalm 127: 2).

Are you having a hard time sleeping? Has it been awhile since you have had a good nights sleep? You and I know that a lack of sleep can make it difficult to handle the challenges of life.

When it comes to sleep, I’m always fascinated that Jesus slept on a boat in the midst of a raging storm. “And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” (Mark 4:37-40).

How on earth could He do that? Why wasn’t He alarmed and anxious? The disciples didn’t get it either because they were full of fear. But the psalmist points us to the answer: “God gives rest to his loved ones” (Psalm 127:2).

He “protects” and “guards” His own, encouraging them to rest in His loving arms (Psalm 127:1). Does this mean that those of us who have trouble sleeping are loved less? NO, it just means that we need to turn our burdens over to the Lord and to remember that even in our struggle to rest, God is with us and He loves us. Even when our eyes refuse to stay shut, we can rest in Him.

In order to enjoy a good nights sleep God wants you to “cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” (Psalm 55:22). As we do that, we can confidently wait to receive the sweet gift of sleep that He alone can provide for us—His loved ones (Psalm 127:2).

So the next time you can’t sleep, I want you to cast Your burdens on The Lord, then read Psalm 121: 3-8, and you will be comforted because it identifies what God does for you, and who He is.

“3 He will not let your foot be moved;
your keeper will not slumber.
4 Israel’s keeper
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is your keeper;
the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
8 The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and for evermore.”

God is your keeper all day and night. God’s identity is to protect, shield, watch over, guard, and keep you all day and night. God does this like a watchman keeping guard over a city or a bird shielding its young in the shelter of His wings.

God promises to keep you. God will guard you as you go on your journey of life, and as you return home. As you go out and come in. As you face the dangers of the day and the night. As you sleep, because He never sleeps.

These promises are characteristic promises — these are the sort of things that the Lord does for those who rely on him. These words of blessing and promise in Psalm 121 evoke God’s protection to all of His children.

What burden do you need to cast on The Lord so that you can have a restful sleep? After you have done that go back and read Psalm 121 and enjoy a great night of sleep.

Pray this – Our Precious Heavenly Father, I can sleep because You never do, you are always watching over me night and day so that my foot does not slip. You are my strong Hightower and my Refuge there is never a time in my life when You are not watching over me and protecting me. Instead of fretting and worrying at night, I will focus on You, Your presence, and let Your peace fill me, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8). You are Yahweh Shalom,You are the Lord my Peace. You are the one who calms the troubled waters in me. When I wake up in the night, instead of worrying, I will cry out to You, Yahweh Shalom. I don’t need to get up every morning and think that I need to make it all work, because You are the One who makes it all work, You are my Peace. You bring calm when there is disturbance in my soul. You bring rest when I cannot sleep.In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.