PASTOR DAVE’S MUSINGS FROM THE HEARTLAND

February 5, 2025

THE IMPORTANCE OF REST

In his memoir, In My Time, former vice-president Dice Cheney offers the following advice to those who are preparing for a presidential or a vice-presidential debate.

“Get some rest.  Once you’ve gone over the issues and know what message you want to convey to the voters, you can do yourself a real favor by just taking a nap.  You’ve got to be relaxed – or at least look like you are – when the moment comes.  I think voters figure out pretty quickly that if you can’t handle the stress of a political debate, you’re not going to be much good in an actual crisis.” (In My Time. P. 279)

It would seem that Newt Gingrich might well have profited by taking Vice-President Cheney’s advice before the two Florida Republican presidential debates.  It was a general consensus that he was off his game.  A reporter who had witnessed him the morning of the second debate said that to him he looked tired.   Maybe his performance would have improved if he just would have taken a nap.

There are a number of stories of someone who was having difficulty solving a problem discovering the solution after a good night’s rest.  It would seem when “the little grey cells” were not distracted by external influences they were able to cull through the data and come up with a solution.  Some would suggest that there may even have been a dose of divine inspiration.  A number of my musings have finally come together after a good night’s sleep.

When I was in college, the way that many of my fellow students would prepare for a test was by cramming the night before.  It was known as “doing an all-nighter.”  In a lot of cases the nocturnal marathon was a result of not having kept up with assignments as they were given.  I found a good night’s rest served me better than staying up all night cramming.

Many times in the scriptures we find Jesus drawing apart for a time by himself.  It is generally assumed that he would spend this time in prayer and meditation.  From the perspective of a Hogsett tradition that appreciates a good nap I would like to suggest that Jesus also might have spent a part of the time taking a power nap.

In the eighth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew (8:23-27) there is the story of Jesus and the disciples traveling by boat from Capernaum to the country of the Gadarenes.  A sudden windstorm arises and threatens the small boat.  The disciples are terrified.  And where is Jesus?  Asleep!  Could it be that he catching a quick power nap?  Could be!

Fatigue can cause automobile accidents, contribute to workers making mistakes, and cause one to mentally not function at one’s best.  Sometimes the best thing that we can do for ourselves is just take a nap.  Taking one can make all the difference.

(This article was originally published February 5, 2012.  Comments may be sent to davidh15503@embarqmail.com.)