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Things God Can't Do

Many of us are all familiar with the children’s song, “My God is so big, so strong and so mighty, there’s nothing my God cannot do.” I was drawn to a book by Nick Tucker titled 12 Things God Can’t Do. The opening chapter explores the truth that God can’t sleep. We sleep because we need to sleep. But God doesn’t. 

Psalm 121 tells us, “I lift my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip - he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” 

God doesn’t sleep because he is always at work and never tires. 

Sleep is an important part of our lives, however, times of busyness and stress impact our ability to sleep. The experience of lying awake unable to sleep because we cannot stop thinking about all we have faced during the day, or may face in the future, is horrible. Our anxiety can keep us awake. Lack of sleep can lead to problems focusing and reduced productivity. Sometimes we worry about lack of sleep and ironically that leads to lack of sleep! 

The subtitle of 12 Things God Can’t Do is: ... and how they can help you sleep at night. The truth that God cannot sleep should be an encouragement to us on those nights when we are unable to sleep. Victor Hugo, the author of Les Miserables expressed this beautifully,

“Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily tasks, go to sleep in peace. God is awake.” 

Sometimes in the middle of a sleepless night we might feel far from, and even forgotten by God. But he reminds us in Psalm 121 that he is not sleeping. He’s the one who is there watching over us. What an encouraging truth this is. Whether we are asleep or awake, let's look to the one who does not sleep. He is the maker of heaven and earth who watches over us.