Sleep always an issue at crucial times

Meditate about these things

When God wanted to create a help meet for Adam, according to Genesis 2;21-23, “The Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her to the man.” Sleep was involved in the crucial time of man and God.

Genesis 15:1-15, tells us of what happened to Abraham when he made a petition to God about the fact that he had no child. The Lord told him to prepare some items for a sacrifice. And Abram did so. And in verse 12-13, when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him; then God gave him the answer to his petition, and some prophecy. God works in diverse ways when sleep is involved.

Job 33:14-18, “— In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction.” God uses the night to seal instructions in the heart of men and especially true believers.

Sleep could have a positive or negative outcome but it is all for the purposes of God. In Matt. 26: 36-56, at the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus took his disciples along; but decided to go further to pray and took Peter, James and John; and said unto them, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch (pray) with me.” He also asked the three to wait while he went further to pray. He went and came back to them three times and they were all sleeping, at such a crucial time when Jesus was fighting to gain victory over sin for man; and later manifested it by enduring the Cross. Sleep played a part as the disciples could not hold on in prayer and watching with Jesus.

Matt. 25:1-10, is another prophetic parable of Jesus Christ, wherein sleep is involved at a critical moment. And that crucial moment is by the corner. The sad thing today is that everyone claims that they are Christians; accepted but they are and some are very busy. The issue here is that many do not know they are sleeping, some are spiritually sleep walking and know it not. A preacher may be preaching and shouting on the pulpit but they may be spiritually asleep and so are some in the congregation.

While the bridegroom tarried (has not come at man’s time for the translation), Matt. 25:5, “They all slumbered and slept.” What a time to be found sleeping at your duty post. At a most crucial time and moment for every believer. Jesus said, Watch and pray. We are not children of darkness that we should sleep as do others, (1st Thess. 5:5).

STUDY – Mark 13:35-37, “Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, watch.” The choice is yours now.

Sleep always an issue at crucial times – Week 14