At day’s end I’m ready for sound sleep; For you, God, have put my life back together.
I was surprised to find this verse among the 145 “do not be afraid” Bible verses because it contains no mention of fear. So I checked a more traditional translation, but it also does not mention fear. It says, “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
Maybe this verse points to what might replace our fears if only we could get them under control—a deep sense of peace. A peace so pervasive, we sleep soundly no matter how the world rages around us.
Peace is one of the fruits of the Spirit, and this verse was a reminder to me that it is possible to cultivate peace. So I thought about moments in recent days that have given me peace, where I’ve invited it into my life, and when others have stepped in to help me find it.
On Sunday evening, my adult daughter wished me goodnight by standing over me and giving me the Aaronic blessing. She used her thumb to make the sign of the cross on my forehead, like I used to do to her and her brother when they were little kids as I tucked them in at night. Except, it had been so long since either of us spoke the blessing, we had forgotten the words, and we stumbled through it together, giggling.
On a run, I saw a man patiently walking his dog. The dog was lame in its hind legs, so it wore a harness with two wheels attached to it so it could propel itself. I felt peace that there are people in the world who love and care for animals so deeply.
On that same run, I watched a young boy scale a chain link fence in his apartment complex so he could watch a soccer team practice in a nearby playing field. I felt peace that a love of sport and play is part of our human spirit.
One evening when I felt upset, I vacuumed—and the rhythmic motion of it and the way it made the carpet look like an untouched field recently harrowed gave me a sense of peace.
Whenever I need to make myself laugh (a kind of peace), I think of something my friend Joy told me when she answered the phones at a church named Hope. “Hello, you’ve reached Hope. This is Joy.”
Maybe these are silly things to dwell on at a time when the world feels on fire. But they help me refuse to give in to fear or despair, so I’ll take them. They are evidence that the world is so much more than the things we get each day on the news. They are evidence that God’s peace and presence can be found everywhere.
And here, so I’ll remember them next time, are the words of the Aaronic blessing.
The LORD bless you and keep you.
The LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you.
The LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.
I love this verse!
And I love that we can still find peace (and prayers) for loved ones (and strangers) each day.
Beautiful thoughts. ❤️