Well-Rested

 
 

As Tish Harrison Warren reminds us in her book Liturgy of the Ordinary, God cares about rest. Consider the moment when Jesus falls asleep in the back of a boat in the middle of a storm, for example. We see both a man who is tired and a rabbi whose trust in his Father is unwavering.

Interestingly, we spend about one-third of our lives sleeping, Warren writes; and those necessary hours should not be taken lightly: "Through these collective years of rest, God is at work in us and in the world, redeeming, healing, and giving grace. Each night when we yield to sleep, we practice letting go of our reliance on self-effort and abiding in the good grace of our Creator. Thus embracing sleep is not only a confession of our limits; it is also a joyful confession of God's limitless care for us. For Christians, the act of ceasing and relaxing into sleep is an act of reliance on God."

And yet we live in a culture that is super-charged and endlessly buzzing, pressuring us to remain connected and ignore our own fatigue. The gift of rest seems repetitive and unremarkable, even as we strive to draw closer to our Creator, and we forget that sleep is a tangible reminder of our own faith: When our muscles release and we yield to sleep, we are exposed and weak -- dependent on God for protection as we rest.

Maybe a key step toward a life of God-focused prayer is simply the trust required in receiving the gift of a good night's sleep, Warren writes: "What if Christians were known as a countercultural community of the well-rested -- people who embrace our limits with zest and even joy? As believers we can relish sleep as not only necessary but as an embodied response to the truth of Scripture: We are finite, weak creatures who are abundantly cared for by our strong and loving Creator."

In peace I will lie down and sleep,

for you alone, Lord,

make me dwell in safety.

-- Psalm 4:8

How countercultural are you prepared to be this fall -- whether taking an afternoon nap or settling down for the night -- all in the name of Jesus?

Rev. Dr. Jennie A. Harrop