Thanks for joining us for today's encouragement from the Our Daily Bread Devotional.

Cindy Hess Casper wrote today's reading, and she titled it, Sweet Sleep.

When my friend Floss lies awake at night, she thinks about the lyrics of the hymn,

My Jesus, I love thee. She calls it her middle of the night song, because it helps her to remember

God's promises and the many reasons she loves him. Sleep is a necessary, but sometimes elusive,

part of life. At times, we may sense the voice of the Holy Spirit bringing

unconfessed sin to our mind, or we begin worrying about our job, our relationships, our finances,

our health, or our children. Soon a full-scale dystopian future starts running on a loop in our brain.

We assume we nodded off for a bit, but when we look at the clock, we realize it's been only moments since we last checked.

In Proverbs 3 verses 19 through 24, King Solomon suggested that we can receive sleep benefits when we embrace God's wisdom, understanding, and knowledge.

In fact, he claimed, they will be life for you. When you lie down, you will not be afraid, and your sleep will be sweet.

Maybe we all need a middle of the night song, prayer, or Bible verse to

softly whisper to help us shift our jumbled up thoughts to a mind fully focused on God and

his character. A clear conscience and a heart full of gratitude for God's faithfulness and love can bring

us sleep that's sweet.

Today's Our Daily Bread Devotional Scripture reading is from Proverbs chapter 3

verses 19 through 24. By wisdom, the Lord laid the earth's foundations.

By understanding, he set the heavens in place.

By his knowledge, the watery depths were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew.

My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight. Preserve sound judgment and

discretion. They will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go on your way

in safety, and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid. When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

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