day no. 15,480: the reward of rest

Ecclesiastes 5:12
Sweet is the sleep of a laborer

This morning (3/15/20) while making coffee before church, Finneas came upstairs to the sound of the grinder and asked, "If you drink coffee, you're not going to be able to nap later today." I replied, "I make coffee every Sunday morning and I nap every Sunday afternoon."

I then went on to explain what the Bible says in the verse cited above. The person who works hard is in no danger of enjoying his rest. One of the rewards of hard work is sweet sleep. Only the hard worker fully appreciates rest and sometimes the sluggard, in his leisure, is robbed of the pleasure of relaxation.

Proverbs 26:14
As a door turns on its hinges,
so does a sluggard on his bed.

The lazy person cannot even enjoy their extra hours in bed. Their body won't let them. Their late nights and snooze buttons cannot provide what a few hours of hard work would easily accomplish.

Hebrews 4:11
Let us therefore strive to enter that rest

If you are having trouble resting, work harder when you're supposed to be awake and you will find rest, relaxation and sleep a hospitable friend.

Psalm 127:2
He gives to His beloved sleep