Do you ever have those nights when you spend long periods wide awake... and anxious? Sometimes it's the worries of life. Other times sleep may come, but only for a few hours, then you are awake and spend the rest of the night anxious and worrying. Sometimes you may sleep, but is a superficial sleep, light and fitful, as your mind continues to race and think of life’s difficulties. I have had plenty of these nights over the years, and they are miserable.
NIGHTTIME REALITY DISTORTION
Did you notice that problems seem bigger and more unmanageable in the middle of the night? We can be frantic during the dark of night, and when morning comes, the issue doesn’t seem to be that big of a deal. I don’t know why, but the night often seems to make our problems and worries seem much greater than they really are. In fact, we should remember this next time we have “one of those nights.”
SOMEONE IS WATCHING
There is a more important truth to remember: There is a Night Watchman out there for all of us, every night. I don’t mean some sort of security guard hired to patrol the perimeter of our homes every night. What we can count on is the One who is keeping watch over our souls. Consider the following words from the Psalm 121:
I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you—the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm— He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
The Maker of heaven and earth does not sleep, grow weary, or get tired. He is your keeper and protector. He is the One who guards your life, even in the middle of the night. He is our Night Watchman. He is the One who tells us to cast our cares upon Him and invites us to come to Him and He will give us rest. He tells us over and over to not be afraid, but to be strong and courageous, that the battle is His, and He will fight for us.
He says the waters will not overwhelm us, and we will not be scorched or burned by the fire. One of His many names is “Comforter,” and He promises to never leave or forsake us. That is a Night Watchman we can trust. He is our King, our Lord, our Redeemer, and our Savior. We can entrust to Him the things that keep us awake at night. He is watching.
So, when “those nights” come again, call on the Night Watchman, cast your cares upon Him, and then sleep well, for the Lord neither slumbers nor sleeps.
By Jimmy Aycock