Religion: A Pastor Ponders

Sleeping well

By Pastor William Jenkins

November 9, 2006

Among my collection of favorite verses in the Bible is Psalm 4:8. I would guess it was written early in David’s illustrious life when he was a young shepherd boy sleeping under the stars.

He had responsibility for sheep that were prey to a number of predators that stalked under cover of darkness. Getting a good night’s sleep under such circumstances would be a challenge.

Perhaps this verse was a bedtime prayer that David said each evening, “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone. O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

Alexander the Great was known for his sound sleeping even in the midst of war and great danger. He was asked on one occasion how he slept so well. Alexander said that he slept well because Parmenio, his faithful guard, kept careful watch over him day and night. Therefore, he could rest and sleep peacefully.

I like to think that as a grown man, with the weight of a crown on his head, King David remembered the secret of a good night’s sleep, to have God posted as a guard during the night.

A good night’s sleep is essential for a healthy life-style. My prayer for people who are hospitalized or suffering from various dreads is that they will be able to sleep well. Recently I visited with an elderly lady prior to her open-heart surgery. She was very calm and content, not at all worried about what the next day might bring. I asked her how long she had known the Lord. She smiled and said, “Since I was ten years old.” She went on to tell me of that experience that was as fresh in her memory as if it had happened yesterday. She would sleep well during the night because she knew who it was that watched over her.

There are many things that have the power to rob us of sleep: work, worry, anxiety, ill health, children, and a host of others. Each night when I get ready for bed one thing I do is to clean out all my pockets and place the contents away until the morning: keys, pens, papers, change, etc.
I won’t need them during the night. I cannot use them while I am sleeping. To create pajama pockets and sleep with them would be quite useless and foolish.

If we could learn to put away for a few hours the things that cause us to loose sleep we would be a healthier and happier people. But we create pajama pockets and take them to bed with us where they stalk under cover of darkness and keep us tossing and turning in our sleep.

Ponder this: To sleep well is to learn the fine art of letting go and letting God watch over us during the night.

League City United Methodist Church is located at 1411 Main Street (FM 518), one block east of Interstate 45. For information, call the church offices at 281-332-1557 or visit the website at

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