A Careless Sleep!
“Rechab and Baanah set out for Ishbosheth’s house and arrived there about noon, while he was taking his midday rest. 6 The woman at the door had become drowsy while she was sifting wheat and had fallen asleep, so Rechab and Baanah slipped in.7 Once inside, they went to Ishbosheth’s bedroom, where he was sound asleep, and killed him.” 2 Samuel 4:5-7
Experts have proven times and again the need for adequate sleep in order to maintain good health. The benefits of sleep to the body and to health cannot be overemphasized. The Bible also makes us understand that sleep is a necessary natural phenomenon especially after hard work. Our Lord Jesus Christ had recorded in the Bible, times when he slept!
However, there is a time when sleep becomes dangerous and risky. Sleeping at the time one should be awake becomes a dangerous adventure.
This lesson particularly caught my attention as we sat at the table to observe our regular family morning devotion. This is a practice we have grown with as a family of about 26 years and we do not compromise it for anything despite our individual personal devotion times. Our family devotion is usually a very enriching time as we take turns to read our portions and bring out lessons learnt from the Bible. Our children, though adults now, grew up to know this as a revered tradition and at their various locations or whenever around at home, still treasure the practice. Any guest in our home at any particular period joins at the family altar.
Sleep is good but a careless sleep can become dangerous!
I was deeply shaken to see from this passage the carelessness of the woman who was at the door supposedly sifting wheat but became drowsy and slept off at her duty post! This sleep proved to be a dangerous one as the two killers gained access to the chamber of Ishbosheth and killed him without stress or resistance.
A person who is on duty is not expected to sleep!
A person who is on duty is not expected to sleep! Sifting wheat demanded alertness and was not enough to allow one to sleep, yet she got drowsy to the point of sleeping till the killers walked past. If probably she had been at alert, Rechab and Baanah might not have been able to perform their enterprise!
A lot of things happen while men slept when they should not. (Matthew13:25)
It seems to me that the devil watches out for our moments of careless slumbers and sleeps. He probably might not do much when we physically sleep at the normal times because He really does not need our physical sleep to perform his wickedness and also He who watches Israel does not slumber nor sleep (Psalm 121:4)
But at the times we are supposed to be awake and at alert spiritually, much is expected from us. It becomes a responsibility we are saddled with to be at utmost alert.
The sleep of this unnamed woman was a very costly and painful one! She slept at her duty post and the enemies gained unhindered access to the house.
The sleep of this unnamed woman was a very costly and painful one! She slept at her duty post and the enemies gained unhindered access to the house.
There are people whose safety in life depend on your being on duty and at alert. There are lives whose continual existence and usefulness depend on your being constantly on duty in their defense or support; there are people who if you withdraw from being on duty in their lives as a result of careless sleep, become vulnerable. There are destinies, whose survival depend on your continual sensitivity.
Those are lives over whom God has placed you on duty and He expects nothing less than your being faithful at your duty post to ensure the enemy is kept at bay. As a believer, you are on duty over the destiny of someone or some people and your faithful commitment is expected over the soul(s)
May you not be found sleeping at your duty post! Amen!
© Funmi Adebayo