Sleeping is arguably one of the most enjoyable things in the world, and it’s also necessary for our survival. Both our souls and our bodies need regular rest, and sleeping is one of the most important ways we heal from sickness, injury, and disease.

But with all its benefits, sleeping does have some drawbacks.

If you haven’t slept enough, you wake up tired, disoriented, and maybe even grumpy. If you’ve slept for too long, you might have missed an important deadline. And if you’ve ever tried to talk to someone right before you fall asleep, you know that it’s a pointless attempt – you can barely make out what they other person is saying and your brain processes information very slowly.

Which is why it’s important that our God never sleeps.

One of my favorite psalms is Psalm 121, a short psalm that talks about God helping, protecting, and preserving us. And in the third and fourth verse, the psalmist writes, “He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.”

In the midst of the psalm’s focus on God’s protection and stability, this statement might seem out of place or even childish. Of course God doesn’t sleep – He’s God! Why would an infinite, perfect being like Him need rest or rejuvenation? He’s not like one of us!

I don’t think that’s why the psalm includes this verse, though. In our modern, evangelical world, we know that God doesn’t need to recharge after a person is saved or take a nap after healing someone. But what we do often doubt is if God has time for us; if His metaphorical inbox is full and we should come back later.

There’s too many other people who have more important problems than I do, we think. If I have something really important to tell Him, then He’ll pay attention to me. But my physics quiz and Christmas shopping are too insignificant and bothersome to a God that has cancer patients and missionaries to help.

Of course, we don’t voice these thoughts out loud. But I think that deep down, we wonder whether the tiny details of our lives even matter to God – if He sees, cares, or wants to know about them.

However, I have good news. He does care, He does see, and He does want you to talk to Him about every minute aspect of your life!

1 Peter 2:9 calls us God’s chosen people, holy nation, and people who belong to Him. Deuteronomy 7 tells us God chose us to be a special treasure. In Malachi 3:17 God refers to His elect as His jewels. In 1 Peter 5:7, with some versions calling us “His personal concern”, we’re told to give all of our anxieties and worries to God.

And let’s not forget Psalm 139:1-3.

“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.”

I think sometimes when we read verses like, “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and on the good” (Proverbs 15:3), we think of it in a negative sense, as if Jesus is a police detective who will eventually find out all of our worst secrets and throw us into jail after catching us red-handed. It’s certainly true that unbelievers will be judged for all of their sins – including the ones no one else witnessed – but for Christians, God’s omniscience is a comfort, not a source of fear!

Psalm 34:15 says, “The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry.”

God isn’t looking at His children with a critical, suspicious eye waiting to pounce at our slightest weakness or sin. He’s watching our lives with an attentive watch to all of our deepest needs, fears, joys, and desires, and orchestrates every event in our lives to perfectly follow His good plans for us.

That doesn’t mean that God gives us whatever we think will make us happy – He knows what will actually be good for us and His plans are better than ours. But we don’t have to be afraid that voicing our smallest thoughts, wants, and needs bothers Jesus or keeps Him away from more important things He could be doing.

Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 10 – “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will… Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (emphasis mine)