[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during November 2026]
Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.
Luke 22 v46 [NIVUK]
The change of the clocks at the end of last month gave many people in the northern hemisphere an extra hour overnight. Anecdotally, it seems that this is often used as an excuse for an additional hour’s sleep, but that may not be the best use of the time.
We should heed this warning from Solomon, king of Israel in 950BC:
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.
Proverbs 6 v10-11 [NIVUK]
In an early example of ‘cut and paste’ this verse is repeated elsewhere in the book of Proverbs.[1] This example of the repetition of passages of Scripture is not unique; repetition often implies something particularly noteworthy about the text or its message.[2]
Does God have to tell you twice?
A few years earlier, in one of his psalms, Solomon had written somewhat differently about sleep:
In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat – for he grants sleep to those he loves.
Psalm 127 v2 [NIVUK]
But what if you cannot get to sleep? You are in the company of the great and famous, among them the king of Babylon:
In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep.
Daniel 2 v1 [NIVUK]
How do you tackle insomnia?
One effective antidote to insomnia is to listen to a recorded sermon. That does not imply any criticism of the sermon’s content or delivery; rather that it is a potentially beneficial way of occupying the time before sleep comes naturally.
The empire of the Meads and the Persians followed that of Babylon but the same problem beset its king. Unfortunately, back in his days, recorded sermons were in short supply.
That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him.
Esther 6 v1 [NIVUK]
Instead of succumbing to the soporific recitation of state records the king became aware of a situation that required his attention. As we lie awake we too can mull over the circumstances that we face and seek wisdom in addressing them.[3]
For God does speak – now one way, now another – though no one perceives it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they slumber in their beds.
Job 33 v14-15 [NIVUK]
Do you toss and turn or lie still and listen?
Can you reflect the experience of the prophet Jeremiah?
At this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me.
Jeremiah 31 v26 [NIVUK]
As we have seen, the Bible has plenty to say about sleep. As with many of the blessings that God gives us, there are dangers both in over-indulgence and also in inadequate application. There is a time to sleep and a time to refrain from sleeping.
In addition to physical sleep there is also a sleepiness that can creep into our spiritual lives. We would do well to heed the warning that Jesus included when talking about his second coming:
If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping.
Mark 13 v36 [NIVUK]
References:
[1] Proverbs 24:33
[2] for example, Proverbs 14:12 and Proverbs 16:25
[3] James 1:5
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Contributed by Steve Humphreys; © Steve Humphreys