Pastor Darryl Miller

Sand Lake/South Ensley United Methodist churches 

616-636-5659

This may seem like a strange thing for a preacher to encourage you to do. But I think that it is important to the Christian life. Paul gives the Phillipians some great advice: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

One of the benefits of following this advice is that we can focus all of our thoughts away from the trials and tribulations of the world, and the turmoil that may be going on in our lives. When we focus on God and the things that He is a part of, we don’t have time to focus on those tempting things that we know that we shouldn’t. We can check on a neighbor and a person or two who may need some help. We can call someone who may just want to talk to someone. And we can turn our thoughts away from the television and the worries that invade our minds and concentrate on having a conversation with God. We can hear the birds singing and see the trees and flowers around us.

And when the day is done, we can lie. 

We can lie without guilt because we didn’t do the things that would push us away from God. We can lie with peace because we spent the day serving God’s people and staying in constant communication with God. We can lie in prayer because the weight of the world and all of its pressures have been lifted from our shoulders and we have been set free from them, clearing our minds so that a pure conversation with our Lord is possible. And we can lie in rest because we have done a good job in God’s eyes and He will provide the rest that we need. 

It is a wonderful thing to be able to lie at the end of the day and to feel that sense of God’s warmth. Not because we have earned it but because God desires to give it to us. How we live our days reflects our gratitude for God’s wonderful grace and love. And when we are immersed in His grace and love we can lie down each night in peace.