Indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. Psalm 121:4 NIV
When my son goes out at night, my wife does not come to bed until he gets home. Her concern for his safety and wellbeing prevents her from going to sleep. Most parents feel the same way. It is difficult for most parents to go to sleep not knowing if their children are safe. Parents know they have no control over life and death. However, we are predisposed to worry about our children and want to protect them from all hurt, harm, and danger.
For as long as I have been reading and reciting Psalm 121, it never occurred to me that God feels the same way about us as we feel about our children. He stays awake to protect us from all harm. He even assigned guardian angels to protect us from the attacks of the enemy. It is no wonder, the psalmist says, Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
God’s protective eyes remain on His children day and night. As a Divine being, God does not need sleep. He does not grow weary or gets tired. Yet, I believe it is love that keeps His gaze forever on the just and the unjust. The Almighty knows the devil goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Because the devil never stops harassing and attacking God’s prize creation, the Lord will never slumber nor sleep.
Maintaining Lordship over this universe and all other planetary systems is a monumental task our finite mind cannot comprehend. If God were to sleep for one second, the sun would have scorched parts of the world, there would not be enough oxygen for human beings to breathe, and the forces of nature would have consumed the earth. Thus, the Psalmist says, the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night (Psalm 121:6). Now I have a deeper understanding of what Jeremiah says in Lamentations 3:22, Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.
As difficult as it is for parents to manage their anxiety over the safety of their children, they have to trust God to be an ever-present help for their children. Parents can find comfort in the Lord who says, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. God’s rest is not only temporal it is also eternal.
During prayer and meditation, this morning the Lord told me, sometimes the best place for me to keep my eye on my beloved children is when they are in my House in Heaven. The Almighty said death is only a “Heavenly Uber” I used to bring my beloved children to the secret place of the Most High. That is why believers should not mourn like people without hope when our loved ones transition time into eternity.
Even if I had the financial wherewithal to provide 24 hours of secret service type protection for my children, I would not be able to guarantee their safety. There is no safety in this fallen world. What we do have is a blessed assurance from the Lord through Jesus Christ. We have the assurance; Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. The Lord assures us that he will not leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6).
Let us live our best life with joy and confidence in God who neither slumber nor sleep. Do not be a hostage to fear. Whatever befalls us, we have to trust that God has a reason. As I write this devotional, I worry about what tomorrow holds for my children and all the young people in the world. I pray for my children all day and all night because I know the only one who can protect them is God.
Questions for Personal Reflection
How can you better manage your anxiety about your children’s safety?
What comfort can you find in Psalm 121 about God’s protection for your family?
Prayer- Almighty God, I surrender my children to You. I know that I cannot guarantee their safety. I trust in Your promises according to Psalm 91:9-10. For you are my refuge. A strong tower in a time of storm.
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