Eyes Wide Open
Photo Credit: Hans Braxmeier, via Pixabay
A few months after our wedding, we were chatting about the adjustment of sleeping with a person who is your total opposite in temperament. The conversation took place after dinner at the home of our friends and fellow newlyweds, Curtis and Monica. My Bruce falls asleep the minute his head hits the pillow — he is in bed my 9:30, and up at 5 AM. As a devoted and submissive wife, I wanted to follow my husband’s sleep pattern. The problem was that I am a seasoned night owl. Many nights, I found myself laying in bed for over an hour, tossing and turning. After Bruce was snoring happily, I often sat up in bed to read.
I was whining about how well rested I was to our friends. Since they’d married about a year before us, we were hoping that they had sage advice to offer on how to meld our sleep patterns.
Curtis is a creative type and night owl like me, so I wondered if he got up to work on projects after Monica drifted off into slumber.
Unlike my comatose, hard-working man, Monica is apparently a very light sleeper. She is in tune with the noises and movements of her home. If her husband twitched in the darkness of the bedroom under the covers, she would awaken. No covert nocturnal operations were possible in that home.
Bruce is very amused by my sleep pattern because I am a bit of a cat napper. I dislike going to sleep early, but I often drift in and out of slumber quite easily while we sit on the couch watching television. I will actually drop my head and snore quite happily for a few minutes, and then he says I wake up and start typing on my laptop just as if I had never closed my eyes.
Sometimes I wonder if God is cat napping. I mean, theologically, I understand that He is all-knowing and ever-present. I know this in my heart of hearts. But, then something heartbreaking happens to someone I love, and I wonder if maybe God wasn’t paying attention. How could this tragedy have happened on His watch?
Tonight, I found a verse that encouraged my broken heart:
God keeps an eye on His friends,
His ears pick up every moan and groan.Psalms 34:15, MSG
My Abba doesn’t drift off to sleep on the job. He is in tune with my every noise and movement. His eyes stay wide open every moment of my life.
We’ve been married almost 31 years in August – and we’re still working it out – the night owl and Franklin sleeper (early to bed). I am so glad God doesn’t sleep. That He knows it all – even though we don’t know the why of it all!
I’m so thankful that God doesn’t fall asleep on the job!
Lyli, you always make me smile. I love your stories. I love how you tie them to the Word. I love also how you remind us of truths, simple yet profound. The timing of this verse is so necessary for me tonight. Thank you!
Hugs,
Dawn
I love your blog and your wisdom. You’re the best!
Lyli, love how He hears “every moan & groan”. So good!
I’m so thankful God doesn’t sleep on the job (although I too wonder sometimes if he accidentally looked away–even though I know he didn’t). I turned into a light sleeper once I had kids. Now that they’re out of the house, I still wake up at any slight noise. Maybe one day I’ll revert back. 🙂
Praise God that He takes two completely different personalities and unites them as one flesh in Godly marriage! Thanks for hosting & God bless!
Lyli,
I’m glad Psalm 34 spoke comfort to your heart…((hugs))
It’s one of the first passages I remember reading in my early walk with Christ that really ministered to me. I have studied it and spoken on it before, but reading it in this translation last night, I found a new nugget. I love it when God does that!
Thanks for sharing this at CMB today. Rejoicing today that He is always aware, always watching and listening, always involved. Awesome reminder!
I am so thankful God doesn’t sleep on the job, but I sometimes act like I think He does. May God bless you in your challenges with all that you need to run your race! Always a pleasure to read your posts! Visiting from The Weekend Brew.
What an amazing post. You inspire me. I used to be a spiritual writer. Now I pretty much blog about practical things because it’s what gets read, but now I feel I want to right from the heart again.
Yes I am close to 40. I do feel expired. You nailed that. Thank you for finding evidence this is not so.
I will be sharing this post!