Caught sleeping during the day, my grandmother would claim, “I was just resting my eyes.” She thought a nap was a bad thing.
The Bible tells how Jesus napped while his disciples worked their way across the Sea of Galilee in a boat.
Mark 4:38 (NIV)
Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion.
If Jesus napped on a cushion while others labored, a nap isn’t a sin.
Clearly, He wasn’t in the habit of sleeping while others did all the work. He did His part, and He rested when necessary. We can do the same.
Good morning, Lord. I am grateful for the power of both a quick nap and a deep sleep. In Your great wisdom, You wove sleep into our daily routines — we’re not designed to work, work, work. Teach me to embrace rest as a gift and not a burden. “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8).
Oh for the deep sleep of my younger years.
Ah yes, back when I could fall asleep in the car and wake up the next morning in my own bed with no memory of how I got there. For me now, a night of poor sleep calls for more than one nap during the day. One way or another, I rest.