PROPPED AND SUSTAINED BY GOD!
MERRY MONDAY BY PARRIS BAILEY
“I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.” Ps:3:5
I believe in having a good night sleep. Having four children probably brought some order into my life but the one who really cured me of late nights was my precious husband with his waking up at 4:30am everyday. By the time 6:30/7:00 rolls around he has had hours of coffee, sitting in silence and comes barging in the bedroom every morning. Someone made the adjustment—guess who?
The scripture says we lay down and sleep. As a Christian we learn to cast our care upon him, relying on his help and guidance. Calvin said “that he affirmed and maintained the world is managed and governed by the secret providence of God”. Thank God we can know that he knows our frame, and is the supporter of life itself. We have so much to be grateful for, He is the great preserver. Poole said it this way; “he upheld my spirit, and person, and cause.”
I pray when you awake in the morning, you don’t begrudge the day with all the “stuff” you have to do but your mouth begins to bring praise unto God. We can awake alive and cheerful. John Gill says; “Though they have tribulation in the world, they have peace in Christ; and notwithstanding the temptations of Satan, and the corruptions of their own hearts, they have joy and comfort through believing in Christ; the Lord sustains them with precious promises, and supports them with the discoveries of his love, and upholds them with the right hand of his righteousness.” Paul prayed that we would be shown the “exceeding greatness of his power toward us”. Maybe during the night he will bring you to a deeper level of his love and grace.
Some of the meanings of sustain is: prop (literally or figuratively); reflexively to lean upon or take hold of (in a favorable or unfavorable sense): – bear up, establish, (up-) hold, lay, lean, lie hard, put, rest self, set self, stand fast, stay (self). There is nothing better knowing God props me up every night. He sustains me! One of my favorite Psalms is 139:1, “O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.”
Tonight when your head hits the pillow, know that The Lord will not only awake you but sustain you. Meditate on his greatness rather than your smallness! After all He has the whole world in His hands!