Both day and night belong to you;
you made the starlight and the sun.
Psalm 74:16 NLT
***
As an effort to loosen the Eustachian blockage, I’m taking large doses of prednisone and Sudafed. Insomnia is a side effect of both medications. Probably inevitable given the circumstances.
Most of us can handle one sleepless night. I can still function after two. But three? Four? More? Sorry, I don’t do all-nighters.
Hmmm. Apparently, I do.
A while back, I posted a song with the lyrics, “Day and night, night and day, let incense arise.” Incense, the praises of God’s people.
Day and night? I’d rather sleep. I need to sleep. But sleep wasn’t coming, no matter how hard I tried. And this seems like an opportunity for obedience. So here goes …
At first, all I could do was let the lyrics sing through my mind. Then little by little I found myself considering God’s love and blessings. And remembering that this trouble is just for now; it is not forever.
And that I’m not alone in the dark.
I wish I could say that I fell asleep for the rest of the night. I didn’t. But slowly the tension eased, and I relaxed.
I’ve had plenty of time to practice this obedience: I’m going on two weeks with nightly sleep difficulty. So far, though, I haven’t run out of things to thank and praise God for.
So, even in the middle of the night, let incense arise!
***
But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me,
and through each night I sing his songs,
praying to God who gives me life.
Psalm 42:8 NLT