Sleep in heavenly peace: an illusive goal, even for believers
By Dean Collins
What’s keeping you up at night? I have heard business consultants ask that question of their clients in order to get to the things that need to be resolved in their business. The truth is, if you are the owner or the leader of a business or organization, you often feel the weight of responsibility for the well-being of the employees, the financial viability of the business, the return to investors, and on and on. When you are the leader, you can sometimes be kept awake at night by the dozens, even hundreds, of things that could go wrong.
Depending on your stage of life, there may be other issues that keep you from sound sleep. Our circadian rhythms shift as we age, and of course, health issues can also impact our sleep. All of this sleeplessness even impacts the economy. The Sleep Foundation quotes research that indicates insufficient sleep has an impact of $411 billion every year. Our lack of sleep can result not only in economic loss but can also contribute to diminished health.
No sleep
In this Advent season, it may be that even as we try to slow down and contemplate the coming of Jesus, we find ourselves rushing through Scripture readings, Advent devotionals, and prayer as we frantically try to get gifts purchased, food prepared, parties attended, and work finished. And we just can’t seem to find enough time to sleep.
Then, in the middle of our rushing and stressing, we hear the familiar and calming Christmas carol.
Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin, Mother and Child.
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
But you may have noticed that the world isn’t all that calm at this moment. And things don’t appear bright. There are wars in the Middle East and in Ukraine, and our world is so connected through technology and economic dependencies we not only share concern for those in harm’s way but we fear the harm can spread across the globe.
No calm
It was not calm and bright in Bethlehem when Jesus was born, either. It was time to collect taxes imposed by Rome. Jews traveled from their homes to get to the place where they were from because they were required to pay taxes there. The town of Bethlehem was crowded with people. The Roman Empire was not friendly to those in Palestine. I suspect many had sleepless nights trying to gather money to pay their taxes.
And into all of the noise and fears of ancient Bethlehem and our world today, God sent his Son to be born of a humble virgin named Mary. And no matter how noisy that first night was, we can assume that baby Jesus did what human babies do; he cried, he nursed, and he slept.
The one who never sleeps
It is important to remember that when Jesus entered our broken world, he somehow managed to sleep and rest even as he saw a world struggling with sin, injustice, oppression, and more. Just as Jesus learned to rest, knowing that his Father was fulfilling a plan for all humanity, we must learn to rest as Jesus continues to fulfill his great plan of redemption and restoration for us and all the world.
The psalmist reminds us that our help comes from the Lord and that no matter what is going on in our lives or in the world around us, “he who keeps you will not slumber.” Jesus may have slept during his time on earth, but our faithful God never sleeps on the job. He is always active, always aware, and always working on our behalf.
Maybe this Advent season we should remember another psalm and pray: “O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me…hope in the Lord from this time forth and forevermore (131:1-3).
In Psalm 4:1 David said, “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
Even with all our struggles and concerns, as we sing for the baby Jesus to sleep in heavenly peace, maybe we need to lie down ourselves and trust that Jesus is aware of our needs and will watch over us and our loved ones as we sleep in heavenly peace.
Merry Christmas.
Your time with God’s Word
Psalm 121:1-8; 131:1-3; 4:8 ESV
Photo by Carlo Navarro on Unsplash
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