Who Needs Sleep?

When I was a young Art Major in college, I used to say, “Sleep is overrated. I’ll sleep when I’m dead.” Now, as a business-hours father of two, I look back and think, “What an idiot! I can’t believe I had a chance to sleep and PASSED!”

Have you noticed the number of mattress and bed commercials lately? Cruises, vacations, spas, night-time cold medicine, everyone is trying to find a way to get some REST.

Now, there’s a difference in sleep and rest. I know of some folks who get plenty of sleep, but never seem to get enough rest. And I know others who never seem to sleep, but they always appear well rested. How can that be?

I’ll tell you. Sometimes it’s not just your body that needs rest. What about rest for your mind or, most importantly, rest for your soul? Unfortunately, many people are trying to find rest for their souls by getting all the rest they can for their bodies. We often think that one more vacation will straighten out all the kinks. One more cruise or a better mattress will give us better rest, but we’re missing the target. We’re treating a bad ankle when it’s our wrist that hurts. “Here’s a band-aid for your cold.” Sorry, that just doesn’t help.

We need to realize that it’s our minds and our souls that need some attention. And there’s only one treatment that works.

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come unto me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon me and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

“Now, wait a minute. Yoke, learn, burden… this doesn’t sound like my idea of REST.” But, we’re not talking about rest for your body; we’re talking about rest for your SOUL. You can find rest for your soul in many ways, sometimes to the exhaustion of your body. For me, it may be drawing in my sketchbook. For someone else, it may be a long walk in the woods, pulling weeds in the garden, or tinkering around on an old lawn mower. It’s not the same for everyone. Hanging out with a crowd of people is exhausting for me, but it’s energizing for my wife. One common denominator is the key. In your own way, using your own unique creation, connect with your Creator. It’s the only way to get the rest you’re looking for.

Tap into His creativity while you draw. Tap into His cleansing nature as you pull those weeds, His salvation as you restore that old motor, His compassion as you mingle. However you do it, tap into Him.

One thing is for certain, you can’t get the rest you’re looking for through sleep. In that way, I guess sleep really IS overrated.

(By the way, you can click on any of the drawings you see in this blog to see a larger view. Hope you enjoy the pic of Union Station, today. Being a hotel, I thought it was appropriate.)