Spiritual Sleeplessness posted by jwatson on May 05, 2016

By now you have probably come across this Bible trivia question:  Which is the only book in the Bible that does not mention God?  Answer:  Esther.  Yet, this book has God’s fingerprints all over it.  It is a real life drama illustrating the providential timing and the interrelationship of all matters in our lives.

I suppose insomnia and occasional sleeplessness are different matters.  But what does that matter when one cannot sleep.  Sleeplessness can be frustrating and irritating.  It seems that my sleeplessness is occasioned by awakening in the early morning hours only to find my mind racing with thoughts or concerns about something taking place in my life.  To lay there trying to get back to sleep just does not work.  So, I slip out of bed and tiptoe out of the bedroom, trying my best not to disturb my wife.  Grabbing a bottle of water, I settle into my study to choose between one of the two tactics I employ to settle my mind and get some sleep in an awkward position in my comfortable study chair.

Option #1 – CNN for the all-night news.  Option #2 – Bible reading from my Annual Bible Reading Log.  Last night I chose option #2.

The next entry in my Bible Reading Log was Esther 6-10.  Here are the first eight words from Esther 6:1 – “On that night the king could not sleep.”  And then I read that marvelous story on how God used the King’s insomnia to carry out His plan to save the Jewish people – His people – from being exterminated through the heinous plot of Haman.  You really should take some time today to read the 10 chapters of Esther, noticing how God orchestrated these events.

By the way, after finishing my reading of Esther and then praying for a few minutes, I found myself thanking God for His providential control or my life.  Then I went back to sleep for three more hours.

The fact that my sleeplessness was encountered by the King’s sleeplessness sounds a bit providential to me!

I suspect I will continue to experience “middle of the night” sleeplessness.  But I want it to be “spiritual” insomnia.  So, less CNN and more Bible at one o’clock in the morning. That’s pretty good advice to myself.