Sweet Sleep

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. I'm Tom Felton, and I titled our reading, Sweet Sleep. Bad memories and accusing messages flooded Sal's mind. Sleep eluded him as fear filled his heart and sweat covered his skin. It was the night before his baptism and he couldn't stop the onslaught of dark thoughts. Sal had received salvation in Jesus and knew that his sins had been forgiven, but the spiritual battle continued. It's then that his wife took his hand and prayed for him. Moments later, peace replaced the fear in Sal's heart. He got up and wrote the words he would share prior to being baptized, something he hadn't been able to do.

After that, he experienced sweet sleep. In Samuel, King David also knew what a restless night felt like. Fleeing from his son Absalom who wanted to steal his throne, he knew that tens of thousands assailed him on every side.

David moaned, How many are my foes? Though fear and doubt could have won out, he called out to God, his shield. Later he found that he could lie down and sleep because the Lord sustains him. When fears and struggles grip our mind and rest is replaced by restlessness, hope is found as we pray to God. While we might not experience immediate sweet sleep as Sal and David did, in peace we can lie down and dwell in safety, for God is with us and he'll be our rest.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is Psalm 3. As the Lord sustains me, I will not fear, though tens of thousands assail me on every side. Arise, Lord. Deliver me, my God. Strike all my enemies on the jaw.

Break the teeth of the wicked. From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people. Let's pray. Dear God, thank you for providing hope and peace as we lift our prayers to you. We rest in your presence and power. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.