Did you have a good night’s sleep? Or was your slumber interrupted with overactive dreams that made you wake feeling unsettled and anxious?
I will admit to you that my night’s sleep was hard. Yesterday, I woke with a sinus headache, and it stayed all day long. I was able to get some relief last night but this morning it’s still here. I’m recycling a blog I wrote about 8 years ago and I would appreciate your prayers for my day.
This morning, we need to look at a couple friends of mine. They have learned to sleep in spite of the storms.
“So they left the crowd, and his disciples started across the lake with him in the boat. Some other boats followed along. 37 Suddenly a windstorm struck the lake. Waves started splashing into the boat, and it was about to sink.
38 Jesus was in the back of the boat with his head on a pillow, and he was asleep. His disciples woke him and said, ‘Teacher, don’t you care that we’re about to drown?’
39 Jesus got up and ordered the wind and the waves to be quiet. The wind stopped, and everything was calm.
40 Jesus asked his disciples, ‘Why were you afraid? Don’t you have any faith?’ Mark 4:36-40 CEV
Jesus was sleeping during the storm and when those around him woke Him up, they were panicked. “Jesus, don’t you care, we’re going to drown”.
Jesus spoke to the storm and everything was calm. Then He asked, “why were you afraid, where’s your faith?”
Now take a look at another friend. It’s just a few years after this incident.
“At that time King Herod caused terrible suffering… 2 He ordered soldiers to cut off the head of James, the brother of John… 4 He put Peter in jail and ordered four squads of soldiers to guard him. Herod planned to put him on trial in public after the festival.
5 While Peter was being kept in jail, the church never stopped praying to God for him.
6 The night before Peter was to be put on trial, he was asleep and bound by two chains. A soldier was guarding him on each side, and two other soldiers were guarding the entrance to the jail. 7 Suddenly an angel from the Lord appeared, and light flashed around in the cell. The angel poked Peter in the side and woke him up. Then he said, ‘Quick! Get up!’
The chains fell off his hands, 8 and the angel said, ‘Get dressed and put on your sandals.’ Peter did what he was told. Then the angel said, ‘Now put on your coat and follow me.’ 9 Peter left with the angel, but he thought everything was only a dream.” Acts 12:1-9 CEV
Here we find Peter, who was probably in the boat with Jesus and panicked over the storm. His good friend and fellow apostle James has just been beheaded and he has been arrested. He’s asleep in the jail cell, chained between the guards.
Peter was in such peaceful sleep that the angel sent to rescue him had to poke him to get him to wake up.
What caused the change from panic to restful sleep? Confidence! Confidence that God was in control. Confidence that God could be trusted. Confidence that he didn’t have to worry!
“Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. 7 Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.” Philippians 4:6-7 CEV
So be encouraged and sleep in peace and rest in safety! God can handle the storms.
