Lent: Day 27

“In peace I will lie down and sleep. For thou alone, oh Lord makes me to dwell in safety.” – Psalm 4:8

Some years ago my daughter Katie and I went on a road trip to South Dakota. It had been a long time since I had last been out west, and I was excited about going back to the Badlands and the Black Hills.

September is a great time to vacation because the weather is good and the crowds are small, so in the middle of September we packed up our tent and sleeping bags and off we went. We camped in a variety of places, and when we got to the Badlands we found a beautiful place in a state park. Custer State Park, where we camped, has a herd of free-roaming buffalo, and while most of them are confined to a certain section of the park, there are some that graze quite close to the lodge and picnic area.

As we crawled into our sleeping bags, Katie asked me the same question she asked me every night: “Are you sure we are going to be safe here tonight?” As I thought about the fact that we were the only campers in the campground, and that there might be buffalo roaming around the area, I gave her the same answer I gave her every night, “Yes, I’m sure we will be safe.” Of course I could not protect her from everything, but my words of assurance gave her a sense of security, and she slept a lot better than I did.
When I can’t sleep, I often think of those words in Psalm 4. They are kind of like the children’s prayer, now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. I am so grateful that I have God’s assurance that no matter what happens I will dwell safely in the Lord.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the many examples you give us in our daily lives that remind us of your constant love and care. Help us to use our experiences to come to a deeper understanding of your Spirit in our lives. Amen.