I remember those Saturday mornings as a teenager. The ones that came after late Friday nights from a hard-fought high school basketball game that left me drained. The ones that came at the tail end of a tiring school week full of tests, papers and homework assignments. Those Saturday mornings when nothing sounded better then being able to sleep until about Noon. But instead I was woken up by my father’s loud voice telling me to get outside and help rake leaves. Yes, I remember those mornings when I felt like I needed more sleep, and my dad knew I did not. Sleep is like that. Sometimes you need it, and sometimes you don’t. And then sometimes you think you need it when you don’t. And sometime you don’t think you need it when you actually do.
Well recently, I ran into both of these verses from God’s Word:
“It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.” -Psalm 127:2
“Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty.” -Proverbs 20:13
I think it is remarkable that God says both of these things. The Bible really does address so much of life.
Sleep in our lives is about balance. If you need sleep and you are depriving yourself from sleep because you are worrying so much, then you need to take a deep breath and go to sleep. God has given it to you. So do it, rest up!
But if you sleep all the time or too much and end up neglecting duties and responsibilities in life like work and bills and house chores, then you need to get up and get busy and stop sleeping. God has told you to be faithful to your responsibilities. So, don’t love sleep and become poor.
There is a balance there. Worship God in everything you do- even your sleep!