I’m Going To Bed

I’m going to bed, the wife announced, though no one was in the room at the time.
She looked at the clock; it was 10:00.
How nice to be in bed a little earlier than usual.
The morning comes much too soon.

She turned off the lights in the family room.
Her husband was still in his office, so she didn’t go in to turn those lights off.
She turned off the spotlight that illuminates the driveway.
She turned off the other outside lights that are at each door.

She came back in the kitchen and put soap in the dishwasher before turning it on.
She decided what to have for dinner tomorrow night.
She remembered the absent note she needed to write for her daughter’s two sick days.
She also remembered the email that required a response.

The gas fireplace was still on and needed to be shut off.
She remembered to get the poster board from the closet for the important science project.
She made a mini grocery list for the meal she was making for her sick neighbor.
While she was at it, she might as well write down what they needed at the store as well.

She remembered that a load of laundry was still in the dryer and needed to be folded.
She folded the clothes on autopilot thinking of her nice warm bed.
She forgot to cut coupons for the grocery store but that could wait until tomorrow.
She put the newspaper into the recycling bin.

Finally, all the last minute things were done.
She looked at the clock; it was 10:45.
From the office, her husband announced to no one in particular, I’m going to bed.
He turned off the office light, and he did just that!

She sat there perplexed.
Forty-five minutes of last minute things.
Things that for the most part could not wait until tomorrow.
Things that with the busyness of the day got pushed aside until now.

She tried to beat down her resentment.
Why can’t I say that I’m going to bed, and mean it?
She felt unappreciated, overwhelmed, and tired beyond belief.
She sat in the dark for a while and soon dozed off in the chair.

Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise up early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat, for He grants sleep to those He loves. (Psalm 127:1,2)

I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
(Psalm 4:8)

Sleep is a gift from God.
Too much sleep could be bit lazy.
Too little sleep could be a bit foolish.
Just enough sleep and you feel rested and rejuvenated.

Jesus slept on the pillow as the storm raged around Him.
Jesus constantly did little incidental things that put others before Him.
Jesus trusted His Father.
The Father grants sleep to those He loves.

There may very well be a difference in the way men and women go to bed.
There is usually one person who does all the little incidental things.
There is usually one person who is still downstairs forty-five minutes later.
God sees.

God sees the little insignificant things that no one else sees.
God notices the absent notes and the poster board and the folded laundry.
God sees the frustration and the sheer exhaustion.
God grants sleep to those He loves.

I lift my eyes to the hills – 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, not the noon 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. (Psalm 121: 1-8)

We can sleep in peace because God never sleeps.
We can rest even when the unfinished incidental things are all around us.
God is in control.
He knows what we need before we even ask Him.

Doze off in the chair.
Answer the call to your nice, warm bed.

God sees.
God knows.
God hears.
Nothing you do is in vain, when the Builder of the house is right beside you.