Road trip naps
I’ve slept through some of the best scenery in North America. Or, at least, that’s what my husband says. We’ve traveled along Oregon’s coastline, through the Rocky Mountains, in the Sonoran Desert, and along the Mississippi River. My husband, the driver absorbs every second of the road trip. I admire the scenery in shorter snippets between being lulled to sleep by the steady motion and the warm sunshine blazing through the window. Obviously, it’s much safer that he’s the driver!
(Photo by Dino Reichmuth on Unsplash)
As the front-seat passenger, my primary roles should be those of chief navigator, snack distributer, and animal watcher. Unfortunately, I am terrible with maps though I do make valiant attempts. I am a competent snack distributer, but sadly no one can eat continuously. That leaves the task of being on high-alert watching for animal danger … which is hard to do while sleeping.
As I’ve grown older, I’ve actually started to appreciate my superb sleeping abilities. Tossing and turning, intricate dream narratives, and staring at darkened ceilings are not typical parts of my nightly routine. Instead, I lie in bed and reluctantly realize that my next moment will be waking up. It’s dreadful to wake up from a black hole every morning. Being dead asleep to being reminded that you exist and that your chores and daily routine are waiting as you left them a brief moment (or eight hours) ago. God has blessed me with a wonderful life, but I still struggle to get out of bed!
In this, David Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ perspective is helpful to me. “Take those thoughts that come to you the moment you wake up in the morning. You have not originated them, but they start talking to you, they bring back the problems of yesterday. Somebody’s talking. Who’s talking? Your self is talking to you. Now [the psalmist’s] treatment [in Psalm 42] was this; instead of allowing this self to talk to him, he starts talking to himself, ‘Why are you cast down, O my soul?’ he asks. His soul had been depressing him, crushing him. So he stands up and says: ‘Self, listen for a moment, I will speak to you….’And then you must go on to remind yourself of God, Who he is and what God is and what God has done and what God has pledged Himself to do” (Spiritual Depression, pp. 20–21).
That’s hard work when you’re still half asleep! I am grateful that when I’m forgetful, lazy, and tired God knows my frame is but dust and his mercy is new every morning. When I’m feeling discouraged, I try to be quicker at preaching to my soul the truths of my Saviour.
As Hebrews 12:3 reminds me, “Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” Isn’t that wonderful news? Jesus has gone before and paid the wages of death for me! My service each day comes as a response to his example. I’m still a lousy Google Maps navigator, but thankfully the Lord makes my path straight as I run the spiritual race set before me!
