Never Slumbers Nor Sleeps

In the blissfulness of my first pregnancy, I had no realization of the complete and total sacrifice that would be involved in being a mother. My rude awakening hit me the first night my daughter came home from the hospital. Blaire lay tucked in a tiny cradle all warm, dry, and fed. I peacefully slept in the next room until the reality of the commitment of motherhood woke me up at 2:00 a.m. with a loud cry.

That marked the beginning of the end. The end of staying up late, the end of catching up on lost sleep the next night, the end of sleeping more than five to six hours in a row for quite a long time. Motherhood is the end of solid, sound sleep!

This lesson was reiterated when my son was born. Griffin didn’t sleep through the night for his first seven months. The long hours were filled with tummy aches, squirming, and crying. No one could figure out what caused Griffin so much pain. There were nights and days when I did not know how I was going to survive my sleep deprivation. The sleeplessness, uncertainty, and heartache were almost unbearable.

One night, in the pitch black, I rocked my sweet boy. As I numbly stared into the darkness, I desperately poured my heart out to the Lord. As Griffin settled back to sleep, I realized that in order for God to have heard my prayers, He would have to be awake. I thanked Him for never sleeping and for watching over me both day and night. What a comfort to know He is always alert and ready to listen.

Scripture confirms this: “He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.” (Psalm 121:3-4 NLT) Each long night as rocked my baby, I meditated on these words and talked to the Lord since He was awake too.
A month later, the doctor diagnosed Griffin with a milk allergy which we were able to get under control. He finally began sleeping through the night, which meant I did too! But, God did not.

Whether your sleep deprivation is caused by a baby who needs you during the night, an adolescent who is struggling with nightmares, or a teenager who is driving on the road late at night, God is always there for you. During those long hours, set your focus on Him and not the missing sleep. The Lord is awake and hears your prayers and will give your heart rest.