Sleep and Dream
What my three-year old taught me about God
“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13, NIV).
I remember when my daughter was three years old. Each night I would tuck her small frame into bed and we would share a brief conversation. I would ask her softly, “Where do you want to meet in our dreams tonight?” She would contemplate the question and then offer her answer. Sometimes the place of our midnight meeting would be Grandma’s house. Other times it would be the amusement park or the playground, in outer space or some far away land. With a yawn and a twinkle in her eye, with excitement in her heart and wonder in her spirit, my little girl would close her eyes in restful sleep, awakening to the adventure held in her dreams.
The truth is that bedtime was sometimes difficult for my daughter. There were fears found in the darkness of night, noises that frightened, and shadows that looked like monsters. That is why I had designed our bedtime ritual, an attempt to help my child go to sleep. I liked to imagine that, in her dreams, she was chasing butterflies, flying high on a swing, touching rainbows, and exploring distant lands, all while holding my hand and smiling.
The Apostle Paul wrote about those who have fallen asleep in Christ. Going to sleep was a metaphor employed by Paul to describe death. The moment our eyes close in death, we are awakened to new life in eternity. Death has no power over us and we have no need to fear it. In the words of Scripture, death has lost its sting (Hosea 13:14). So, relax. Dream on. And rest in Jesus.
