Homily – Sunday the 14^th April 2024

Reading: Psalm 4

One of the animals I have enjoyed watching the most was the Kwala- It sleeps 18-20 hours a day. The word means- no drink and they feed on eucalyptus leaves. Given an option would we prefer such a life?

Have you heard this question in a homily- How good is your sleep mate?

Or may I ask- Have you ever slept during a sermon?

One anecdote that has always stayed with me is a conversation in Pearly gates. A pious pastor and a rash taxi driver were at the entry point and as the taxi driver was given priority the pastor was unhappy and said- I preached all my life and is this the way I am treated. There came the reply- While you were preaching people were sleeping but while he was driving, however rashly he did so, his commuters were surely praying!!!!  God Save Us!!!

To be able to sleep is one of the greatest blessings in life. Falling asleep and staying asleep is a blessing many people only dream about.

John Milton in Paradise Lost asks- What hath night to do with sleep? It is not about a ritual governed by time. It is an experience you cherish.

It is said- the best bridge between despair and hope is a good sleep. To achieve the impossible dreams, you must sleep well. It is not that you have at least the dreams, it is far beyond. For some sleep is their lover, their forgetting, their opiate, their oblivion while for some sleep is the reality that evades them all the time however much they do not want to.

It was Albert Camus who said- some people talk in their sleep while others talk while people are sleeping.

Do you know what it is like, to lie in bed awake; with thoughts to haunt you every time you do so. There are several reasons why people are unable to sleep. Most visible reasons include stress, trauma, anxiety, fear, worry, doubt, tension and sometime too much of any emotion. It is a health disorder either mental or physical. It could be because of poor sleep habits, the ambience, the diet, the work pattern, medication, caffein, stimulants or even emotional breakdowns.

Psalm 4 is one of the hopeful laments in the Bible. David is surely going through tough times in life but then he confidently declares I will lie down in peace and at once fall asleep. He gives us his reasons why he is able to sleep in peace while there is turbulence around.

The Assurance of Safety that the Lord provides

In verse 8 we read I lie down in peace; at once I fall asleep; for only you, Lord, make me dwell in safety.

A safe space is a very essential ingredient of sound sleep.

Shellen Lubin defined safe space in an adapted reflection thus

“Might the safest space be this:
Safe from having to wear your armour/ facades.
Safe from having to laugh off your pain but feeling free to cry out.
Safe to laugh at your pain, at yourself.
Safe to know your truth, yet not being judged or condemned
Safe to feel…
Safe to disagree…

Safe to voice out your thoughts…
Safe to struggle with conundrums of life…
Safe to sit in the dis-comfort of no-extremes…
Safe to spin through all the chaos…
And feel the shoulder of another traveller…
And know you are not alone.
You are not alone.

It is all about being safe in the protective shield of the Almighty”

Yes the Lord makes us dwell in safety

The Assurance of Happiness that the Lord provides

In verse 7 we read You have put gladness in my heart, more than when grain and wine and oil increase.

Where do you find happiness today?

How important is a tranquil and happy mind to have a sound sleep?

For some people sleeping is a night mare. They wake up with disturbing dreams, with alarming thoughts.

Paul writes in Romans 15:13 “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Happiness is a gift from God, filling you with abounding hope amidst any life situation. It is the assurance that storms are temporary and the winds belong to the Lord Almighty.

Bishop Sam, my mentor had in his study this poster titled Anyway

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.
People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway

And he always used to say

The secret of happiness is living the life that Jesus showed us to live

People and Circumstances will try to steal your happiness away

But if you trust in the Lord

You will be happy anyway

The Assurance of Light that the Lord provides

In verse 6 we read Many are saying, “Oh, that we might see better times!” Lift up the light of your countenance upon us, O Lord.

Times could be hard, we might be sighing “O wish it were better times”

Darkness might be filling the air

But the confidence that the Lord is able to lift the light of his countenance and light up our moments of darkness is very important

“Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.- B. Brown

Martin Luther King said- “Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to change racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice ring out for all of God’s children.”

In darkness you cannot see the beauty of the images of the kaleidoscope. Allow light and in every shaking you find new patterns each as good as the one before emerging.

That is the power of light.

Whatever be the dark moments we are going through…

Remember the Lord is able to light it up

So do not allow darkness to affect your sleep…

See the light of the face of the Lord through it all.

The Assurance of Silence that the Lord provides

In verses  4 and 5 we read Tremble, then, and do not sin; speak to your heart in silence upon your bed. Offer the appointed sacrifices
and put your trust in the Lord.

What does it mean to be able to speak to your heart in silence upon your bed. Amidst all the noises around how do we find the silence of the heart.

As you retire to bed, experience the silence, speak to your heart and that inner conversation with the real you- calms you down.

If you have had turbulent curves in the day and you feel let down, be self-assured- it is OK, we can rebuild- the Lord being our helper.

If people are intentionally and constantly trying to break you down- do not worry. Encourage yourself. Speak to your heart. Tell your heart not to break down. Gain strength and confidence in the Lord to face the new day with renewed strength.

The key is the trembling at the very thought of sinfulness that deters you from doing anything untoward. It is about giving God the due space in your life- providing you the moral ethical touchstone that makes life meaningful, It is your ability to put your trust in the Lord whatever be the reality of noises that you face.

Be Silent and You will sleep well

The Assurance of Wonders that the Lord provides

In verses 3 we read Know that the Lord does wonders for the faithful; when I call upon the Lord, he will hear me.

There is no situation in life that the Lord cannot transform.

It is important for us to know that when we call upon the Lord, he will hear. At the meeting of the wise ones we discussed on how the Lord sends us angels when we call on the name of the Lord. It was the testimony of all of us who were present that we have had experiences of the Lord answering our prayers.

It could be in the form of a person who stops by when our car is broken down in the wilderness offering to help, it could in the form of making you invisible to the predator, it could be in the form of a shoulder to lean on in your most difficult situations in life. We read together from 2 Kings 6 where Elisa was telling his disciples to open his eyes and see the invisible army of the Lord that keeps protecting.

The Lord continues to work miracles in our lives

So sleep well.

The Assurance of freedom that the Lord provides

The Psalm begins thus “Answer me when I call, O God, defender of my cause; you set me free when I am hard-pressed; have mercy on me and hear my prayer.”

It is the testimony and experience of David that whenever he went through difficult situations in life the Lord has always intervened and set him free.

On the third Sunday of Easter Psalm 4 is used to address the unbelief within and the outside the church. During Easter time we say Christ is Risen and the response is Alleluiah but many say around us today- I don’t think so, O really, I doubt it, You are kidding.

The Psalmist talks about a God who is able to set us free from any bondage and resurrection is the greatest setting free.

Once you are sure that the Lord is Risen and that the risen Lord would hear our prayers and liberate us from any context- we are sure we can sleep.

Vinod Victor

April 14, 2024