Stay Awake!

It’s amazing to me how easily my husband can fall asleep.  What a blessing that he can stretch back in his chair for a ten minute nap and be asleep in 30 seconds. He gets the benefit of the whole ten minutes!  When I try to take a nap, it takes me nine minutes to fall asleep and leaves me with one minute to rest!

However, falling asleep quickly at the wrong time or at the wrong place can be disastrous! If a person falls asleep at the wheel, the consequences could be deadly. If one were to fall asleep when seated in a classroom or auditorium, humiliation is sure to follow! A picture of Gomer Pyle snoring in church pops into my mind!

 Let’s consider one other time that disaster strikes when sleep comes.  There is the area of our marriage relationship that requires us to be wide awake at all times. It’s when we nod off, that trouble comes.  Proverbs 24:30-34 puts it this way:

I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.

In this passage, one falls asleep, then they awaken and consider, and it’s not until then that they receive instruction. But now the work is much harder – thorns and nettles (a stinging weed) have covered the vineyard. The sleepiness depicted here is describing laziness. Poverty comes as a result. Isn’t it easy to neglect our marriage and let it drift along? When we do this, the relationship will be “covered over with weeds” and a distance will result, rather than a closeness. Boredom rather than interest. Passiveness rather than compassion. Disgust rather than desire. Criticism rather than compliment and on and on.

We just came through the week of Valentine’s Day where you perhaps DID do something special with your mate. But what will you do this week to let him know you respect him for the man he is? How will you spend time together? When will you plan to have meaningful conversation? How will you serve him, show him he is your priority and be his best friend? It’s going to take intentionality, rather than sleeping. Here are a few ideas:

• Take a walk after supper
• Read a book together, a chapter each day
• Send him a card in the mail
• Go out for dessert at a restaurant where you usually only eat a main course.
• Sit close together in church
• Write a him note on the mirror
• Put the toothpaste on his toothbrush
• Pray with your husband before he leaves for work
• You be sure to keep reading good books on marriage and your role as a wife

These little things are like that Ten minute Power Nap. Sleep is good when it’s time to sleep, but when it’s time to be awake, let’s be alert and ready to weed the vineyard! Instead of marital poverty, there will be refreshment!