Third Shift - Can't Wait!

I've never worked third shift on a regular basis, and I wonder how those that do get used to it. Occasionally I have third shift nights when sleep seems to be sleeping somewhere else. I used to feel weak during sleepless times, but third shift last night awakened some new thoughts. I felt I was allowing things like worry and fear to penetrate too deeply so I turned to one of my favorite passages - Isaiah 26:3, "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." It seemed the place to turn because typically those things that rob us of sleep come from moments of doubt. But, maybe that's not all that true all the time.

Eventually I continued reading and verse nine caused the stir, "My soul yearns for you in the night; my spirit within me earnestly seeks you." I began to think of all the night time happenings in the bible; often in dreams of the night God spoke, and sometimes He even awakened His people from their sleep for a special message. The Psalmist speaks of thinking of God on his bed, and continuing through the night watches. So, I guess third shift isn't all that bad after all.

During the night all is quiet and we are left to our thoughts alone....well maybe not all that alone after all. From now on I'll not begrudge the night nudges, but rather embrace that time as special time with the Father. Who needs sleep after all? Who would have ever thought that third shift was something to look forward to?

Dan