Today Daily Devotional

In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those he loves.

— Psalm 127:2

Do you ever find yourself “burning the candle at both ends”—working day and night to get something done? While there may be times when we need to stay up late to meet a pressing deadline, losing sleep to get everything done may suggest a spiritual problem.

In Psalm 127, King Solomon of Israel offers some wisdom about work and sleep. Though it’s important to be productive, we need to be aware that if we focus only on our own efforts, we miss the bigger picture.

Instead of frantically trying to get everything done, we are encouraged to focus on God—and specifically on his blessings. Instead of agonizing over all that needs to be done, we should look to God for guidance in our daily tasks, seeking to please the Lord by admitting our dependence on him and rejoicing in his compassion. By throwing off self-imposed false burdens, we are free to simply please our merciful God.

How we view rest can be a sign of our trust in God. The Lord wants to bless us with sleep, with rest, with renewal. Though there may be times when we lose sleep, if we put our trust in God and serve him with gratitude in all our tasks and challenges, we can enjoy the rest he gives.

Father, when we work without you at the center of our lives, we work in vain. Help us to look to you and to rest in you. Amen.

Indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

— Psalm 121:4

I often feel sleepy around three o’clock in the afternoon. Sometimes I’m even tempted to put my head on my desk for a quick doze. But that’s not a good idea. Getting up and walking around will usually help to wake me up again.

In Psalm 121 we are assured that God’s watchful attention never lapses—not even for a quick nap. The setting of this psalm is the pilgrim’s road to Jerusalem for a worship festival. Though dangers may lurk in the shadowy hills and turns along the roadway, the psalmist assures God’s people that the Lord will watch over them.

Nothing will prevent God from watching over us, says the psalmist: nothing in the day or night and nothing from any direction, because God does not sleep.

How do God’s people know this? God is the Creator of the universe, and nothing can distract or draw his attention away from his beloved creatures, especially his children.

The all-powerful God who steers the universe has promised to watch over us wherever the journey of life takes us. With the confidence of knowing this, we can serve him in the world each day. With God’s people throughout the ages, we can say boldly, “[Our] help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

We know, Father, that you are our Creator, and we say with confidence that our help is in you. Amen.

You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day. . . .

— Psalm 91:5

Years ago, when we lived in Beijing, a thief broke in through our daughter’s window at night. Though nothing much was taken, we felt vulnerable after our home had been violated. Our daughter even asked to have her window bricked up. Thankfully, stronger window bars and a watchdog solved the problem.

Psalm 91 assures us that “whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” All who trust in God will be protected by him. He will protect his children from their enemies, from those who lay traps to harm them. He will shelter and shield his children under his wings. The Lord himself makes this bold promise: “You will not fear the terror of night.”

These are beautiful words of assurance. But does this mean nothing bad will ever happen to us? No. Because of sin’s effects on the world, bad things sometimes happen to everyone. Jesus himself was attacked by the evil one, and this psalm even points ahead to our Lord’s temptation in the wilderness (v. 11-12; see Matthew 4:6).

This psalm assures us that as we keep trusting and holding on to the Lord—no matter what troubles we face—he will deliver us. When we call his name, God will answer. He will show us his salvation.

Father, we don’t understand how in all things you work for our good (Romans 8:28), but we know that you have shown us salvation in Jesus. Help us to trust in you always. Amen.

Awake, Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever.

— Psalm 44:23

We all need sleep. Without it our bodies and minds can’t function properly. Though we don’t know why, God built sleep into what it means to be a human being.

But what about God—does God ever sleep? In Psalm 44, the psalmist asks if God is asleep and urges God to rouse himself. What?!

In another passage, the Bible assures us that God, who created the heavens and the earth, will “neither slumber nor sleep” (Psalm 121:4).

But in Psalm 44 it seems that, to the psalmist and the people, God is silent. It feels to them like God is asleep. We don’t know the circumstances of this lament, but we can see that God’s people are in a desperate situation. They have been defeated by an enemy, and it seems that God has rejected them (vv. 5-11).

Yet the people feel innocent, saying they had not forgotten God or his promises (vv. 17-18). They remind God of his past faithfulness and urge him to show with power his steadfast, unfailing love for his covenant people.

Psalm 44 ends on a bleak note, without any clear declaration or assurance from God. Yet two things are clear in this psalm: God wants us to call out to him in our desperate times, and he takes it as a mark of trust and love when we do. God’s answer may not be immediate or to our liking, but he knows what we need and when.

Father, you never sleep, and you are always faithful. Help us to trust in you as we wait for your answers to all our needs. Amen.

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.

— Psalm 4:8

In my younger days I looked forward to falling into bed at night with the sigh, “Sleep at last!” I still look forward to sleeping, but now I don’t always look forward to bedtime. Sometimes, as night falls, I begin brooding about disappointments, regrets, unsolved problems—and I fear taking my anxieties to bed.

In Psalm 4 it seems that King David may be brooding again about the rebellion of his son Absalom (Psalm 3; July 8)—not to mention his many other enemies. This psalm gives us a heightened sense of his desperation. We can almost see David twisting and turning, messing up the covers on his bed. Here again he calls out to God, pleading for mercy. In the middle of the psalm, though (v. 4), David offers some sound advice for such times of struggle in the darkness: searching one’s heart and asking for forgiveness for any sins one may have done.

Then, as often happens in the psalms, David moves from turmoil and agony toward trust. He does this by deliberately turning his mind toward God’s faithfulness and provision.

David’s struggles aren’t fully resolved in this psalm. But in reaffirming his trust in God, he sees a way forward. He ends with a declaration about peaceful sleep, a complete letting go into God’s faithfulness.

In all of our struggles, Lord, help us to cry out to you and in faith to turn to you in trust and gratitude for the gift of sleep. Amen.

I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.

— Psalm 3:5

Maybe you don’t have difficulty falling asleep. But do you ever have trouble staying asleep? Sometimes I jolt awake in the middle of the night and begin mulling over things: a harsh word, a pressing obligation, a painful family situation, or some other upsetting circumstance. Daytime events can cause us to lose sleep at night.

In King David’s case, he was beset by family troubles. We can read the sad account of his family’s grief and struggle in 2 Samuel 13-18. Psalm 3 cuts to the heart of David’s deep distress. His beloved son Absalom is leading a revolt against him, his enemies surround him, and God seems far away. Yet, as the psalm unfolds, we see that David’s faith has not deserted him. He calls out to God, professing that the Lord is his shield and protection. David trusts in God’s power and presence. Despite the circumstances David declares, “I lie down and sleep; I awake again, because the Lord sustains me.”

Our own troubles and anxieties may not be like those of King David. And his words are no simple answer for sleepless nights. But they do point us to a deep confession: “The Lord sustains us.” This isn’t merely an attempt at positive thinking. It’s the bedrock of our faith, night and day.

Father, in our tossing and turning, keep our faith in you strong, and help us to believe and say that you sustain us. Amen.

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 6:1

Like many people, I occasionally have trouble falling asleep. When that happens, I often start counting backwards in Chinese from a thousand, hoping to fall asleep before reaching yi (“one”). That usually works, but if it doesn’t, I eventually get up and rummage through the fridge for something to eat.

King Xerxes of Persia had insomnia one night, so he called to his servants to read to him from the record of his reign. The king discovered that Mordecai, an exiled Jew living under his rule, had saved the king’s life without being rewarded. So the king ordered that Mordecai be honored throughout his kingdom. As we read more of this story, we discover that the king’s sleepless night plays a key role in the deliverance of the Jews from being annihilated (Esther 2:19-8:14).

Here we can see God working behind the scenes to protect his people. Evil forces were arrayed against the Jews, but God used his captive, humble servants to touch the king’s heart and turn destruction away from his people. God uses Xerxes, Mordecai, and Esther to keep his promises “for such a time as this” (4:14).

Even in our moments of sleeplessness we can be assured that God is always working to keep his promises. We can always be assured of his love and care.

In our times of sleeplessness, Lord, help us to turn to you, trusting and resting in your sure and unfailing love. Amen.

He lay down under the bush and fell asleep.

— 1 Kings 19:5

Yesterday I mowed our overgrown lawn, cleaned our cluttered garage, and washed some of the filmy windows on our house. Physically exhausted at the end of the day, I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

In our reading for today, Elijah is exhausted and falls asleep under a bush in the wilderness. But Elijah isn’t exhausted from doing chores. He has just had a dramatic confrontation with the priests of Baal (see 1 Kings 18:16-46), and now he is fleeing for his life from King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. Totally shattered—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—Elijah asks God to take his life.

Yet God doesn’t answer his plea. Instead, through an angel, God provides Elijah with sustenance for the road ahead. Then, after some more restful, restorative sleep and more food and drink from the angel, Elijah sets out on the journey ahead of him.

What can this extraordinary story teach us? We are reminded of our basic need for sleep and its restorative benefits. Even more importantly, we see that God tenderly cares for us, feeds us, and watches over us—even in our deepest, darkest moments. Though our own story may not be as dramatic as Elijah’s, God will provide what we need so that we too can take up the journey ahead of us. In fact, God has already provided for us through his Son, Jesus, who invites us to come and rest in him (Matthew 11:28-30).

Lord, our only hope for true rest is in you. As you reach out to us, help us to come to you. Amen.

Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do.”

— Genesis 41:25

When I awake from a troubling dream, I usually breathe a sigh of relief, thankful that it was only a dream. But in ancient times people took their dreams very seriously and kept note of the details. For them, good dreams meant something positive, while bad dreams meant a person could face harm.

Pharaoh was disturbed when he awoke from two troubling dreams. The first dream was about seven thin cows that devoured seven fat cows. The second dream was about seven withered heads of grain that swallowed up seven healthy ones. Pharaoh consulted with all of his wise men, but they could not interpret these dreams. Then he heard that Joseph could interpret dreams. With God’s help Joseph was able to tell Pharaoh that a great famine was coming and that they should store up grain for food before the famine came.

Pharaoh’s dreams were about deliverance, and these particular dreams remind us that God works not only through his children but also through people in our world who may not yet know him. Just as our sleep and our dreams remain a mystery to us, God’s work in history can be mysterious. But God always works according to his wise plan. And there’s one mystery in which we can always find comfort and assurance: God in his love will never leave us or forsake us.

Lord God, we take comfort in knowing that you love and care for us. And in all things you work for our good. Amen.

Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more.

— Genesis 37:5

Do you know anyone who likes to share about dreams over breakfast? Our dreams often have striking details and characters, but they can also be illogical and hard to follow.

Joseph, who was despised by his brothers, shared a dream with them—and “they hated him all the more.” That’s because his dream predicted they would all bow down to him. Joseph was his father’s favorite, and his brothers hated him so much that they wanted to get rid of him. Eventually they sold him into slavery in Egypt (Genesis 37:19-28).

Joseph’s story in the rest of Genesis reads like a gripping nightmare at times—but it has a happy ending. Joseph not only dreams but also interprets the dreams of others. And ultimately he rescues his entire family from starvation (Genesis 45-50).

Joseph’s story isn’t mainly about his dreams, though. It’s about God’s mysterious plan and way of working to save his people, despite all kinds of efforts to thwart him. Though we may often find God’s ways or methods surprising, we can take comfort from Joseph’s story, seeing that God rescues his people from calamity and the consequences of sin. What’s more, Joseph’s story points ahead to the story of Jesus, our Savior, who came to rescue us from sin and death, restoring us to full life with God.

Lord, sometimes our lives, like our dreams, can seem chaotic. But you, Lord, have our lives in your hands as you carefully guide us every step of the way. Amen.