Do you ever wonder how much more we could get done if we weren't required to sleep? Yes, we are apparently required to sleep. To try and abandon the sleep instinct would either result in failure or death. So in my continued amazement and wonder at the fact that people can put their faith in Darwin's theory of Evolution, I stumbled upon this thought: How and why does "sleep" fit into this evolutionary theory? Wouldn't sleep seem to be an product of existence that would "evolve" away, since it leaves both predator and prey susceptible to danger and death? Wouldn't billions of years of evolution work this seemingly needless and potentially harmful instinct out of our existence? And humans are not alone. I can't think of one animal or mammal that is exempt from this daily activity.
This is where I would typically plug a Bible verse that helps explain God's answer to the question I posed. But in this case I can not find anything in scripture to explain why we need to sleep. So I have to try and come up with my own theory.
Maybe God gets tired of us in large doses. Any parent can relate to this I'm sure. I could not imagine loving my kids more than I do, but it's always nice when 9:00 pm rolls around and they go down for the night. The house is a different place. The two or so hours Angela and I have in the evenings is quite different from the 12 or so we have during the day. Much more quiet, much less stressful, and a gentle peacefulness falls on the house. The kids are still with us, but the kids are quiet...they're finally asleep! So maybe that's God's design for His creation. He loves to watch us, listen to us, connect with us, help us. But maybe sometimes He loves to know that we're still with Him, but we're finally asleep!...and for a few hours a gentle peacefulness falls on the earth.
7 comments:
Your Evolution theory may not be to far off. If we look back over the decades at life expectancy you see a drastic change from 1900 with an average age of 47.3 years to 2005 with an average age of 77.8 years. Without knowing the sleep patterns of every individual between those time frames, Im sure its safe to say that as the years went on the amount of average daily sleep decreased. So with a decreasing in sleep time and a rather large increase in life expectancy it may be safe to say that in another century or two sleep may be extinct.
Another theory from a biblical sense is when God created exsistence. Only one day of rest there.
Day 1: creation of light and its separation from darkness.
Day 2: separation of the sky and oceans.
Day 3: separation of land from the oceans; spreading of plants and grass and trees across the land.
Day 4: Creation of the sun, moon, and stars.
Day 5: Creation of sea animals and birds.
Day 6: Creation of the land animals. Creation of humanity
Day 7: God rested.
You are correct in the "God rested" insight. But I'll still hold to the fact that God's need for rest might just be the reason he makes us sleep. Could you imagine taking care of a child who never slept? I think even God's patience would be tested if I didn't shut down and shut up for 8 hours everyday (I can hear my wife saying "Amen" to that)
Now about your theory that people are getting less sleep today than in the early 1900's...I'll challenge that one. I'm willing to bet that even with our fast paced modern lifestyle, the work required to survive 100 years ago was more consuming than it is today. And for first hand proof of this, let's ask my Dad. Hey "Disco Bob", was life easier in the early 1900's or today?
....now let's just wait for this opinion from someone who's familiar with both these periods in history.
Oh i agree with you on that God needs a break from us. Also agree that our wives will say "amen", heck I may even receive a text msg with just those words once this gets read. I also agree that the work was more consuming to just survive back in the 1900's. To rechallenge your challenge. I think the work was much more labor intensive and required more then the 9 to 5 to complete They didnt have the creature comforts to take up there time " cant count the number of night's I've got drawn into a sporting event or movie on the good old TV, and next thing you know its 2am". So my theory on that is that yes they did work alot harder which in turn caused a greater overall tiredness and a earlier turn in time. As for my father in law "Disco Bob" Im going to leave that one alone. but you maybe onto something with the familiar with both these periods in history. "hard to get well developed forearms these days, but Ive seen videos of having to crank start your car back in the day. Looks like a good workout to me."
I will have to say that I am on a completely different page from you both. I think in many ways when we sleep, God can connect to us better or I should say we can connect to Him better. Our minds are at rest and our flesh isn't so prevalent. I know many times, I have felt God showing me something while I sleep. Either in dreams or I have been woken up just having to pray for someone. I have even woken up to singing songs(not out loud). I think we need a rest from the world. I think for me I am not trying to control so much while I sleep. This allows an openness to receive blessings or communication that maybe I wouldn't have noticed otherwise. Now, as for harder work--I'll wait and have to agree with Bob on whatever he says!!
I love the scripture in Psalms121:4 God shall neither slumber nor sleep, always watching over us! I can just rest, knowing He is in control in the night time as He is in the day light hours! Awesome!
Now, as for work and rest!"Disco Bob" and I grew up in a different time. But, we sure watched our families work hard and sleep hard! We played hard and slept hard! That wonderful time of restful, healing sleep, prepared us for a new day of doing whatever was needed. "Disco Bob" is still doing that work hard, sleep hard cycle!! He is still getting that healing sleep and can get up and go do whatever is needed, all over again! Seems to me,on less sleep than when he was younger!! Incredible!!
And all the time God is watching over us!! Wonderful!
just testing
I have to agree with Angela. I was already on same page with her before I read her comment. There have been many times that I wake up usually around 3:00 am to pray for someone. Also, I too will wake up in the mornings either quoting a Bible verse or singing something that's in my spirit.
But, I can understand Greg's thought process on this. You would think that God would need a break from us as tired as our old bodies get at times, but I guess when you operate in the spirit realm and not the flesh it's more than our minds can comprehend. There have been so many times that I have gone before the Lord in Praise and Deep Worhsip exhausted and come out refreshed.
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