The Blessing and or the Grind

"I lie down and sleep, I wake again, because the Lord sustains me" Psalm 3:5

Prior to this verse in Psalm 3, David states four things: 1) God is his shield. 2) God bestows glory on him. 3) God lifts his head. 4) God answers him. I agree, wholeheartedly with David’s listing of his blessings and his reflection in verse 3.

Let me reflect now: 1) God is my shield. He protects me. I am so thankful, and I know He protects me in many ways I do not see. 2) God does lift my head. He always is able to turn my head and get my chin off the ground and my eyes looking up, too. 3) God indeed bestows glory on me. He allows me to reveal His glory and gives me immeasurable favor and blessings. 4) God always hears me and answers my plea, even if it is no or wait. I have no doubt that He answers prayer.

No wonder David lies down and sleeps. For the most part, like David, (he had a few restless nights, too) by and large, I lie down and sleep, and then I wake. Why? For the same reason David says, because the Lord sustains me. He is the very source of my substance. My every breath; my movement, my sight and hearing, my joy, my heartbeat, my thoughts, and my very existence. He is my all and all. When David writes this Psalm, he is literally and physically surrounded by tens of thousands of enemies. Now, I have very few enemies, and some of those are of my own doing.

David says in verse 6 that he will not fear. He chooses not to fear, chooses to trust, chooses to lie down and sleep, knowing that his waking and everything in life is sustained by God. If God did not sustain us, we would be gone. I love the verse ion Hebrews that says, "In Him, we live and move, and have our being." So without Him, we could not do anything. Until we embrace that truth, we will feel unprotected, hang our heads, miss His glory, not hear Him, never rest or sleep well, and find it increasingly difficult to wake. That is why, regardless of the stressors, disappointments, hurts, failures, and confusion in this life, like David, I will press on. Lying down, waking, struggling victoriously until He comes or I go. Life is such an amazing experience. Praise the Lord. Keep the faith and press on. You’ll sleep better if you do, I know I do.

With His compassion,
Pastor Fred

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