The child is terrified of the dark and can’t get to sleep. “It’s your turn to sit with him until he falls asleep,” she tells her husband. So the father slips into the room, holds his hand and tells him to go to sleep. “I’m here with you; now go to sleep.” Shortly afterwards, the child falls fast asleep, and the dad quietly sneaks out of the room. When the child wakes up, his dad is gone.

She’s very ill. Only one visitor at a time is allowed and only for five minutes. The family takes turns sitting with her. The disease has taken its toll. Her hand is very thin, her breathing shallow, and her lips dry. It’s getting late. Visiting hours are over now, and you are exhausted. You’ve been at her side all day, but she doesn’t want you to leave. You say: “It’s okay. Just relax. Go to sleep. I’m right here.” Aided by her night meds and extreme weakness, she falls asleep. Ever so quietly, you tip-toe out of the room and go home to get your own rest. She’s left alone.

Do you think the Lord sneaks out of the room when you fall asleep? Are you afraid that you’ll be left all alone in the darkness of your experience? No! He doesn’t slip out of the room. He won’t leave you alone. Attentively and fully alert, He sits through the dark and often lonely hours. He doesn’t grab a pillow and half-sleep while He sits beside you. He doesn’t ask for a cot to be rolled into the room so He, too, can get some rest.

Psalm 139 is one of the most beautiful Psalms. David is fully aware of the Lord’s omnipotence (He can do all things!), omniscience (He knows all things!), and His omnipresence (He’s in all places!). Even before birth – from conception to delivery – God is fully aware of every single detail – every strand of your DNA. He knows your genetic code. He knew how you were intricately woven together before you were even born.

Long before biomedical scientists understood much about the human genome, David wrote about such details in Psalm 139. And if God knows those details, dear child of God, can’t you have confidence today that He knows every detail and every angle of the circumstances you are in right now?

It seems that as David was trying to count all the wonders of God and God’s multiple kindnesses to him — well, it seems he fell asleep at some point during the count. He wrote:

How precious are Your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, You are still with me! Psalm 139:17-18

What a way to fall asleep! Rather than counting sheep jumping over a fence (an old method for conquering insomnia), rather than using the calculator of your weary mind to add up your debts or troubles, try listing the evidences of the grace of God in your life and the blessings of the Lord and the wonders of God.  

Dear Child of God, you can go to sleep. You can relax. You can rest. The Lord won’t sneak out of the room. You will not wake up in this dark crisis all alone. You’ll still be with Him when you wake up. He’ll still be right there. Others may slip away from you and leave you alone. But He is always near.

Appreciate all over again today this truth: “I will never leave you or forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 He doesn’t sneak out of your room.

Psalm 18:28: “My God illuminates my darkness.”

Don’t hesitate to share a thought from your personal experience or a verse that has been a blessing to you –  in the comment section below. Or, if you would like to reach out privately, click below.