Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

January 14
Tuesday


SWEET REST

READ:
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You have put
gladness in my heart.
__Psalm 4:7
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Try as we might_tossing, turning, fluffing the pillow, pounding the pillow__sometimes we just can't fall asleep. After offering some good suggestions on how to get a better night's sleep, a news article concluded that there really is no "right way" to sleep.

There are numerous reasons whey sleep eludes us, many of which we can't do much about. But sometimes unwanted wakefulness is caused by anxious thought, worry, or guilt. It's then that the example of David in Psalm 4 can help. He called out to God, asking for mercy and for God to hear his prayer (v.1). He also reminded himself that the Lord does hear him when he calls on Him (v.3). David encourages us: "Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still" (v.4). focusing our minds on the goodness, mercy, and love of God for His world, our loved ones, and ourselves can aid us in trusting the Lord (v.5).

The Lord desires to help us set aside our worries about finding solutions to our problems and place our trust in Him to work things out. He can "put gladness" in our hearts (v.7), so that we might "lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O LORD, make [us] dwell in safety" (v.8). __Dave Egner

````````````````````````````Give me a spirit of peace, dear Lord,````````````````````````````
`````````````````````````Midst the storms and the tempests that roll,```````````````````````````
```````````````````````````That I may find rest and quiet within,```````````````````````````````
```````````````````````````A calm buried deep in my soul. __Dawe``````````````````````````````
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Even when we cannot sleep, God can give us rest.

********************************Today's Bible Reading __ Psalm 4**********************************

1 Hear me when I call, O
God of my righteousness!
You have relieved me in my
distress; have mercy on me,
and hear my prayer.

2 How long, O you sons of
men, will you turn my glory
to shame? How long will
you love worthlessness and
seek falsehood? 3 But know
that the LORD has set apart
for Himself him who is
godly; the LORD will hear
when I call to Him.

4 Be angry, and do not sin.
Meditate within your heart
on your bed, and be still.

5 Offer the sacrifices of
righteousness, and put your
trust in the LORD.

6 There are many who say,
"Who will show us any
good?" LORD, lift up the
light of Your countenance
upon us. 7 You have put
gladness in my heart, more
than in the season that their
grain and wine increased,

8 I will both lie down in
peace, and sleep; for You
alone, O LORD, make me
dwell in safety.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The Bible is not an unrealistic book for it expresses the full range
of human experience,. Yet the negative is often accompanied by a
redeeming faith in God that helped the writers to endure trials and
strengthened their character__and it does the same for us today. This
psalm by King David is animated with a variety of life experiences.
He takes both the good and the bad and projects them heavenward
to God in prayer. He writes: "I will both lie down in peace, and
sleep; for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety" (v.8). The
peace available to us in God quiets us in a way that the world does
not understand or enjoy.