Dear fellow sleepers, I don’t know how many of you know that March 14 is World Sleep Day. Some of you may roll your eyes and think, “Here we go,” yet another made up day for a made up problem. In some respects you are correct, YET, how many of us sleep at least once a day, if not twice. Catnaps, snoozes, dozes, shut-eye, kips, zizz, 40-winks, nod-offs, siestas, lie-ins, or lie-downs are all ways of talking about sleep! Napoleon once said, “six hours’ sleep for a man, seven for a woman, and eight for a fool.” Now, that is a little harsh for those of us who like to have a lie-in every now and then, and he did lose the Battle of Waterloo after all, but it does pose an interesting question. How much do you sleep every night and is it peaceful and restful sleep that God in Christ intends for us. Remember that God gave us a day of rest:
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Sleep is very important for us because without it, we become foggy of mind, slow in speech and action, and unclear and unfocused in our minds. Good sleep is so essential to our mind and body, that without it, we will literally die. So how do we ensure that the sleep we have is restful. Unlike Napoleon, the Mayo Clinic states that everyone should get at least 7 hours of sleep. The attached chart from the Mayo Clinic states their prescription of the basic need for sleep for all ages:
What does scripture day about sleep? It is important to recognize that God has given us the ability to rest every day in His Will and Purpose. That is definitely a reason to rejoice, but how often do we find ourselves sleepless, by either the worries of the day, or the lack of sleep because we have prioritized DOING, rather than resting. One of the key reasons we have received a day of rest is to relax our minds. If you’re having trouble sleeping, the 10-3-2-1-0 Sleep Rule is a practical, easy-to-follow guide. When it comes to navigating your way around sleep issues, simplicity is key. Controlling your environment is a really simple and effective place to start.
It is easy to say, just think about the bible, or God, or Jesus, or the Holy Spirit. But sometimes it is difficult to turn your mind off. It is easy to wake up and your mind is racing and won’t slow down. That is when you need to take a deep breathe and slowly exhale while remembering the Philippians 4:9 passage, which says, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8–9, ESV).
We all sleep, and hopefully, we can sleep well, but it is up to us to turn our minds off from the world and rest our minds on Jesus Christ. Think about what God in Christ has done for you, and hopefully in that process, you will soon find yourself asleep and enjoying the rest that God has given us, and calls us to! Peace, Blessings, and a wonderful World Sleeping day on March 14, 2025! In Christ, Pastor Bob
