“I go to bed and sleep in peace. Lord, only you keep me safe.” -Psalm 4:8

Yawn…yawn…yawwwwwwwn. Just say the word…and I bet you will! You’ve been yawning your whole life…but WHY?Scientists know what yawning is-it’s an involuntary reflex, meaning you can’t control it. But they still don’t know WHY we do that!

Some think it is to “Cool off” our brains so they don’t get too hot. Others think it is a way to “wake up” our bodies with excessive oxygen and raising your heart rate. We yawn when we’re sleepy, we yawn when we’re bored, and we even yawn when the Preacher won’t stop yakking so we can get to El Rancho! But with all the theories out there, they still don’t know the EXACT reason for yawning.

We still don’t know the exact reason.

Ponder that sentence for just a second. We know there IS yawning. We know it’s a reflex. We don’t doubt the legitimacy of yawning. We just don’t know what the purpose is. Sometimes we laugh about it…other times, it reminds us how tired we really are.

Now go back and re-read the previous paragraph, but where it says “yawning”, replace it with the word “pain.”

We know there IS pain-we don’t doubt the legitimacy of it. But we often don’t know the PURPOSE of the pain we are amidst. And it’s easy to wonder if there EVEN IS A PURPOSE to it. I see so many people around here dealing with struggles, and it hurts. And sometimes I can’t see a reason for their pain. I wish I had an out for them or a “That Was Easy” button. I wish I had even some understanding of what they are going through. But we rarely do.

Much like a yawn, I have little control over my pain. And much like a yawn, we don’t really know WHEN pain is going to happen.  But that verse is Psalm 4 is a great comfort: “…for You Alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Whether you are sleepy or bored or wide awake, our God SEES what you are going through, and is aware of it. YOU. ARE. NOT. ALONE. You will not go through your pain alone! God always knows what you are going through and is not ignoring you. He’s right there when you are hurting, and He is right there when you are celebrating great things happening in your world, too! And when it is time to sleep, He is there with you.

I pray that you feel His Presence today. I pray that you KNOW in your core that God is watching over you. And I pray that you REST in the safety of His Arms. 

Just for fun, write the word “YAWN” on a piece of paper and put it on the Fridge. Count how many times your family members yawn after seeing it. And then remember that God saw that too…and that’s nothing to yawn at!

Shalom, Don