Lil Smith
February 23, 2015
0

He who keeps you will not slumber… He who keeps you, Israel, will neither slumber nor sleep – Psalm 121:3,4

God stays up all night on guard, so why I do not submit to sleep more readily?     DSC_1843

When I was little, sometimes I didn’t want to go to sleep lest I miss something. Curiosity wanted to see everything. To sleep would be an act of surrendering my desire to know more, to be included, to be a part of activity.

Sometimes now I stay up not wanting to relinquish consciousness– A variety of inner demons want to keep me awake… they whisper I should finish a program or project, see the weather report, answer emails, watch YouTube, read Face Book, clean house, plan my days, shop on Amazon…

I may seek sleep, but worry or regret or fear or responsibility or body issues like arthritic pain or a cranky digestive system can keep me from the restoring sleep I actually desire. Sometimes sleep just eludes me!

But I do love it when I am in a still, quiet position of surrender and sleep comes. It is peaceful. The demons lose their edge.  I rest secure.

God, the LORD, keep my going out and coming in, my going to sleep and my awaking.

(c) 2015 Nancy Kate Dunkerley

About The Author:

My simple life… is not simple at all. Yet it is so simple when I let God lead me. I have been married to Greg for 27 years and we have three wonderful children. My simple life is not simple at all. Yet it is so simple when I let God take control. I followed God’s call to begin seminary at Perkins School of Theology in January 2006. I graduated in May 2011. My life is not simple at all. Yet it is so simple when I listen for God’s call. I began the Degree in the Art of Spiritual Direction at San Francisco Theological Seminary in January 2009. I graduated in May 2011. My life is not simple at all. Yet it is so simple when I listen for God's call. I was ordained in the Presbyterian Church USA and spent three amazing years in Pastoral Ministry at Highland Springs Senior Living in Dallas, TX. My life is not simple at all. Yet it is so simple when I listen for God's call. My passion is the Christian Spiritual Life. As a spiritual director and retreat leader, I am so blessed to hear how God is at work in the world. How is God at work in your life?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.