LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
Sleeping on the Headboard
On that day, the Lord Jesus went to Peter's house in Capernaum. There he met Peter's mother-in-law, who was sick with fever, and he healed her. Then, when evening came, many demon-possessed people were brought to him, and he cast out the demons by the word and healed the sick. The crowds thronged him. Since it was already late, the Lord decided to withdraw to the other side of the sea. He dismissed the crowd and got into the boat. His disciples followed him.
Now the Lord is tired. It has been an exhausting day. So many have come to him for help! Death, in its most varied forms, and much of His life and power went out from Him to counter and overcome it. Death was again and again, systematically, repelled! The Lord is tired, and lies down on a headboard. Very soon, almost immediately, He falls asleep.
The Lord knows that on the other side of the sea a hard battle awaits him. There are two demon-possessed men there whom no one has been able to restrain. They are real madmen, living in the tombs and terrorizing the region. However, the Lord sleeps on a headboard.
The navigation goes on placidly, until, suddenly, a furious storm of wind rises and makes the sea so rough that the waves fall on the boat and threaten to sink it. It is the enemy that gives anticipated tails for his next great defeat; they are the agonizing death throes of those who already know they are defeated. And the Son of Man, who was just casting out demons in Capernaum, who is now on his way to Gadara to expel hundreds more, the same one who is now being threatened with death by a huge enemy force, sleeps.
The Lord's sleep on the headboard is the sleep of perfect faith and trust. Though he slept, the Father watched over the Son of his love, who was obedient to the uttermost. It was not the irresponsible sleep that leaves its life to chance, or abandons its own to the force of enemy waves. It was the peace that rested in the mighty Hand that sustained him and in the hidden power, momentarily silenced, that would emerge, timely, to avert the danger.
The Lord Jesus sleeping on the headboard is the believer sleeping on a watchful heart. Jesus sleeping on the headboard is the model of perfect peace for the believing soul. Seeing him sleep like this, we can rest in confidence. No matter what tomorrow awaits us. God watches over our sleep, and guards our going out and our coming in. For no one is so safe as he whom God keeps, and no one is so exposed as he who keeps himself.
We will not look to tomorrow as fearing the evils that may befall us, but believing that all that befalls us will come from our loving Father, our soul's sustenance and sure shelter.