Easy Peezy

Jun 7, 2023

"Turn us again to Yourself, O LORD God of Heaven's Armies."

- King David, Psalm 80:19

Q: When did I stop needing a back scratch and lullaby to go to sleep?

A: Never!

Have you noticed? Sometimes the easiest thing to do can be the hardest thing to do?

I'm talking about sleep! Easy peezy, right?! Wrong! Ever have a hard time falling asleep? Or is it just me? (smile) Last night, Candace and I were babysitting our three granddaughters and after onr show, one bath, one story, and one prayer it was time to go to sleep. Everybody knows that… everybody wants that.... it's just the law. But 2-year-old Zoey did not see it that way. As soon as she hit the bed she started to cry… harder and louder. Candace reminded her, "Zoey!... It's time to go to sleep!" Through her tears, Zoey cried, "Ema, I can't sleep… I want to… I just can't!" Sometimes the easiest thing can be the hardest thing!

So what does Candace do? Lay down the law with more force? Nope… she calls for help… from ole Mr. Sandman himself… and yells: "PawPaw, will you help Zoey go to sleep?" Bounding up the stairs, I poke my head in Zoey's room and ask her, "Do you want PawPaw to help you go to sleep?" "Yes," she whimpered. "OK," I smiled. "Lie down and I'll scratch your back." As she snuggled up with her Blankey, I gently scratched her back in a circular motion while singing in a low voice "Love Me Tender" by Elvis Presley. Within 5-7 minutes she was sound asleep! Later, laughing, Roux, who’s 8, said I sounded like Mr. Rogers! BooYah! Sometimes… we need help just to do the easiest thing, don't we?

In Psalm 80, King David is crying out to God for help to do the easiest thing of all -- that is, to turn back to God.

David confesses that he and Israel have rebelled against God, and three times, he asks God to "turn us back to Yourself, O LORD of Heaven's Armies." (vv. 3, 7, 19). Why… that's the easiest thing of all -- it's as easy as going to sleep! All that's required to turn back to God is simply the desire in your heart to accept His grace and His love! Easy Peezy! It's not like you have to do 100 pushups, or start tithing, or feed the homeless… it's not about doing… it's about receiving… Receiving help to do the easiest thing of all!

So David prays Zoey's prayer… "Help me to do what my heart wants to do… to sleep… to rest in Your love."

And what does God do? Lay down the law with more force? No! He shows up… scratches David's back… while singing "Love Me Tender!" How do I know that? Because in the very next Psalm, Psalm 81:7, God says to David, "You cried to me in your trouble, and I helped you!"

Sometimes, the easiest thing to do can be the hardest thing to do. In fact, the very idea that it's the easiest thing can oftentimes be the very thing that makes it hard. Like going to sleep… like returning to God. Both of them… so easy… and yet so hard!

Listen, don't let the idea that something should be easy keep you from asking God for help! Why lay awake at night, tossing and turning… because you cannot sleep… because you've messed up your life… because you've disappointed God.