Got Earplugs?

Call me obsessive, but I took extra precautions to get some shut-eye on my first trip to New York City. I brought my earplugs! Police sirens, airplanes, taxicab horns, shrill screams from the alley are peculiar and unfamiliar sounds for one accustomed to slumbering “deep in the heart of Texas.” Although I was prepared for the city that never sleeps, later I was totally blindsided by the bizarre experiences of sleeping in Africa. Note to self: when trekking in Africa remember to bring your earplugs.

   

I turned a deaf ear to my pastor’s warnings about bringing earplugs. What could possibly keep one awake in the middle of a barren desert? There were no signs of modern civilization—only grass huts, Fulani nomads and lots of dirt. No screens, no electricity, no roads, no cars, no lights—none of the typical things that disturb our sleep in “civilized” countries. After an exhausting day of ministry in the desert country of Niger, nothing could deter my eyes from closing—or so I thought.

First, the dogged winds of the Hamarttan filled my ears with a low monotonous groan as the sun set over the Sahara. What followed was the bleating of goats, the cackling of hens and the most peculiar sound I’ve ever heard—roars from camels. But the greatest deterrence to rest was the nearby voices of the Fulani as they watched us toss and turn on our beds. It’s an eerie feeling to know that curious eyes are watching you try to sleep.

There are many voices that whisper to us in the still of the night. Voices of guilt, fear, anger, regret and loneliness can plague us on our pillows. Spiritually speaking, God has provided us with the most effective pair of earplugs imaginable. As believers, we can learn to tune out those voices that threaten to steal, kill and destroy our lives (and our sleep) through the power of God’s Word.

For example, how can the scriptures drown out the voice of regret? Many times the “What ifs” and the “Woulda, Shoulda, Coulda’s” can cripple our ability to rest. Yes, we really do make the bed we sleep on, but we must remember that God’s forgiveness is always available. Start by memorizing 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Then begin to meditate upon different aspects of this truth (Psalm 119:148). Begin by considering the significance of the words “if” or “all”—what if they were omitted? Maybe you need to meditate on His faithfulness to you through the activities of the day. Or ponder how a Holy God could be just in forgiving you of every mistake that you have made. A clean conscious before God is the most comfortable pillow that one can have to prepare for rest.

Whether you are in New York, Niger or Nacogdoches, TX remember God’s earplugs. When those destructive voices whisper in the night, memorize, meditate and appropriate God’s promises. Like earplugs—God’s promises are ineffective till you use them.

Sleeping with your baby?

What do you do when you feel that gentle nudge from your child in the middle of the night asking to cuddle up with you in your bed? This probably goes against the opinions of most sleep gurus but my wife and I allow them to climb in and rest with us. We want our children to feel free to come to us day or night—waking or sleeping—for comfort, reassurance and guidance. Nurturing a relationship of trust and openness with our children is worth the loss of a little shut-eye.

Whoever said, “those who sleep like a baby usually do not have one,” spoke from experience. It’s sometimes scary to see how our dozing toddler practices his midnight tackling drills right in the middle of my back. Tebow beware—linebacker Charlie Page is coming through the ranks. Charlie always seems to glue himself to us instead of spreading out in our king-sized bed. When I move to get a little freedom, Charlie follows—almost like a magnet. My own sleep-shadow! It seems as though children have an innate need to have someone close in the wee hours of the morning.

Has it ever occurred to you that the worries, regrets and fears that you may experience as you fall asleep may be a reminder to curl up to your Heavenly Father? As God’s children, we can take refuge in a heavenly Father that invites us to be close to Him as we lie down to rest. Your “Daddy” is not inconvenienced or bothered by your midnight crisis of faith. The Lord who watches over you never slumbers—He awaits you with open arms. Remember that you are as close to God as you chose to be. “Come near to God and He will come near to you” James 4:8.

What are the barriers that separate you from intimacy with God tonight? Wherever you are, whatever your need—it all begins with worship. David gives us some pointers in the Sixty-Third Psalm as he runs for his life from his son Absalom.

“On my bed I remember You; I think of You through the watches of the night, because You are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings” Psalm 63:6-7.

·         Remember God—think of some times in   your past that God has showed up in a big way for you.

·        hink of God—Recall His attributes and His character—His unfailing love towards you—how it is even better than life itself (Psalms 63:3).

·       Understand that God is your help—surrender control and allow God to do for you in the nighttime hours what you cannot do for yourself. Appreciate the truth that God has your back covered as you rest.

·       Sing. Yes sing to the One who gives songs in the night (Job 35:10). Maybe it’s the rawness of a song of sorrow and pain. Or perhaps it’s one of joy and gladness. One rendering would suggest that we sing “for’ (or to obtain) joy. Have you ever considered that making a melody? Nevertheless, sing in the solitude of the night watches.

·      Experience His presence—Being under the shadow of God’s wings reminds us of shekinah glory that one could experience only by being in the most holy place in the temple. Being so close to the ark that the actual wings of the cherubim would cast a shadow over you would require some major life adjustments! This reminds us that God is holy and must be approached with a humble and contrite attitude. But also this picture of the “shadow of your wings” reminds us of how a baby bird seeks shelter, security and comfort under the wings of its mother. We’re encouraged to crawl into the Father’s open arms. As you lay down to sleep, remember that your Heavenly Father desires you to snuggle up close. Surrender your sleep into His arms.

Surrendered Sleep

Here's an article that reviews three of the attitudes discussed in our work.  It's part of a guest blog on Thinking Out Loud with Paul Wilkinson.  Thanks to Paul and blessings to you.

http://paulwilkinson.wordpress.com/2012/08/30/having-trouble-sleeping/

Help with Texting Teens

 Here's some insight about sleep and the screenager generation and new perils on the horizon--check out the link and guest blog at the Turn Back to God website

http://www.turnbacktogod.com/teenage-twilight-texting/

The Great Physician's Prescription for Rest

The Great Physician’s Prescription for Rest

As fast as our interconnected world is moving these days who’s got time for sleep?  Our “screenage” culture tells us that if you snooze – you lose.  Insomnia, sleep deprivation and sleep disorders are rapidly becoming an epidemic--even among believers in Christ. 

We are seeing the consequences of lack of rest everywhere in our society:  air traffic controllers falling to sleep on the job; health care workers having more complications when sleep deprived; truck drivers having their driving times controlled due to accidents.  What’s the answer?  Sleep Medicine?  A new mattress?   Sleeping Pills?  Herbal remedies?  Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?  Although these methods may be effective, one may miss God’s purpose of rest in their lives. 

  Many times those “quick fixes” don’t address the underlying causes of difficulties sleeping.  The scriptures help to give us a framework to evaluate many of these remedies.  As believers in Christ, we need to go back to the source of all truth for answers. 

Has it ever crossed your mind that there may be a spiritual connection to your sleep issues?  Sleep was God’s idea!  Therefore, we need to take a step back and reflect on the life and ministry of the Great Physician.  The Bible offers a prescription for rest and sleep which begins with surrendering our lives over to the One who uniquely created mankind’s need for sleep in the first place. 

Jesus modeled the perfect balance between activity and rest.  There were times when Jesus slept peacefully in the bow of a ship in the midst of a raging storm. The Lord slept calmly because He trusted in the protection and provision of His Father through the adversities of life.   If the Spirit of Christ indwells our lives then we also have the ability to sleep soundly no matter what difficulties we may face as we lay our heads on our pillows.

But on the other hand, there were times when Jesus sacrificed sleep and rest to fulfill a higher purpose.  The night before the Messiah was crucified He stayed up and prayed in preparation for the suffering that He would endure on the cross.  From a human perspective, one would think that Jesus should have gotten a good night’s rest to prepare for upcoming trials of the crucifixion.  But as our Lord surrenders to the will of the Father, He is given a supernatural ability to fulfill the plans that were prepared for Him the following day.  Unlike the disciple who slept carelessly that evening, Jesus stayed up and prayed.

Solomon declares that there is “a time and a place for everything” (Eccl 3:1).  There is a time to fall asleep trusting in the arms of a loving God whose eyes never close.  But there is also a time to stay up and obediently serve the Lord.  As we surrender our lives over to His will, God will teach you to follow the Great Physician’s prescription for rest.

Howdy
Susie Larson and the Faith Radio Network will be reairing an interview we did a couple of months ago in the Minneapolis area.
Check it out:

http://www.faithradionet.com/2012/surrendered-sleep/

Summertime and knuckleballs

 Take me out to the ball game!
 
  I was recently listening to a professional pitcher discussing the art behind his favorite pitch---the knuckleball.
  Pitching a baseball involves a complex technique that must be performed in the blink of an eye.  There are many different throws a pitcher must master to sneek the ball past the batter into the catcher's mit.  The fastball is tough but it's fair--a ninety five mile per hour bullet coming straight down the strike zone--fast but predictable. Curve balls are challenging because of the changing trajectory of the ball as it crosses the plate.  But the most challenging pitch to hit consistently is the knuckleball.  A well thrown knuckleball doesn't spin and tends to rise and fall in an unpredictable fashion. Even the best hitters can easily be faked out by a good knuckleball as it passes in the strike zone.

  Sometimes life pitches us knuckleballs.  Unpredictable circumstances that zoom past our lives before we ever see them coming.  Those unpredictable knuckleballs can rob us of rest as we try to close our eyes in slumber--financial dillemas, strained relationships, health problems, complicated decisions.

    In her book "My Father's House" Corrie Ten Boom recalls her childhood bedtime routines with her father. As she would lay her head down for rest, her father would place his hand over her head and pray a blessing over her. She would fall to sleep knowing that her father's hand was watching over her as she slumbered. Years later, while experiencing the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp, Corrie could only fall to sleep by visualizing the hand of her heavenly Father placing His Hand over her head.  Corrie faced those "knuckleballs" by realizing that everything she encountered--death, disease, destruction-- all passed through the Hands of loving God. 

 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.  Romans 8:28-29

  Those that have put their trust in Christ can rest in the assurance of the providence of the One whose eyes never close in slumber. We can face those knuckleballs life pitches when we understand that nothing passes through our lives except what is ordained by a loving sovereign God. He knows the outcome of every throw before it ever leaves the hand of the pitcher. He is watching over our lives and working out the complexities of our lives for His puposes and His fame.   At all times God is in all things, through all things and above all things--even the knuckleballs.

Here are some principles to help face those unpredictable pitches that life throws us:

1.  Thanksgiving: Giving thanks that God is working out all things for good in our lives--our homeruns and our strikeouts (I Thess 5:17).
2.  Prayer: Asking The Lord to give the discernment and skill to identify, predict and decide those critical situations that we face (James 1:5)
3.  Execution:  Allowing God to give you the strength and courage to take your best swing  (Psalm 18:1)
4.  Faith and Trust:  To leave the results up to His purposes and His timing.

Batter Up!