The Sleep of Death
“Consider and hear me, O LORD my God; enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death” (Psalm 13.3). We sometimes hear of tragedy where a house caught on fire in the night and someone in the house was in such a deep sleep that they did not wake up until it was too late. They perished in the fire. That would plainly be the sleep of death. It saddens us to learn of such things.
More serious are those who sleep the sleep of death in moral and spiritual matters. The mores of our nation is in deep, deep trouble. The daily news tells that things are being promoted in our society which is in open violation of God’s will. The Bible tells us what God thinks of this. “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Proverbs 14:34) Yet, many otherwise good people support and vote for candidates who publicly endorse such things as abortion and homosexuality. Are they sleeping the sleep of death? I speak as a fool! They are indeed sleeping the sleep of death!
The situation in many homes is just about as bad. Parents are supposed to bring children up in the care and caution of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). Yet, many parents decide that they should “let their children make their own decisions about what is right and what is wrong.” They never really seek to impress upon their children the importance of spiritual matters. The children leave home with no interest in the church or the Lord’s will. Let us not sleep the sleep of death regarding our families.
We must be afraid for our own souls as well. Too many Christians are too interested in material things. “The cares of this world and the deceit of riches choke the Word” (Matthew 13.22). Many Christians “entangle themselves with the affairs of this life” and are not fit to be a good soldier of Christ (2 Timothy 2.4).
We need to ask ourselves, “What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world but looses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16.26). All of us need to plead with the Lord to make it clear to our eyes lest we sleep the sleep of death.
Article adapted from a Wayne Walker writing.
