File: /pub/resources/text/Our.Daily.Bread: db940205.txt
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OUR DAILY BREAD                   Saturday, February 5, 1994 
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READ: Psalm 16


                         "IT'S BEDTIME!"

		My heart is glad, and my glory 
		rejoices; my flesh also  will
	         rest in hope.  - Psalm 16:9

In his book  The  Best  Is  Yet  To  Be,  Henry  Durbanville
recalled  that  as  a  boy,  when  the  shadows  of  evening
lengthened and darkness fell, he would hear his mother call,
"Henry,  it's  bedtime!"   Typical  of  all  small  boys, he
resisted the idea of leaving his friends, putting  his  toys
away,  and going to his room for the night.  Yet deep within
his heart he knew very well that sleep was necessary.

Durbanville made this spiritual application for  the  Chris-
tian  who  senses  the  end of life drawing near:  "Death is
both affectionate and stern.  When the right  moment  comes,
she  says  to us, 'It's your bedtime.'  Oh, we may protest a
little, but we know very well that the  hour  for  rest  has
come, and in our hearts we are actually longing for it."

The thought of dying can fill even a Christian's heart  with
mixed emotions.  When we think of leaving our loved ones, it
may cause the tears to flow.  The breaking  of  close  human
ties  does  hurt.  On the other hand, there is the anticipa-
tion of resting from our labors and being in the presence of
the Lord.

If we have placed our faith in Christ, we can  look  forward
to  the  joy  and release that will be ours when we hear the
evening call, "Come Home.  It's bedtime!"

Author:  Richard W. De Haan

	In life's eventide, at twilight, 
	At His door I'll knock  and wait;  
	By the precious love of Jesus 
	I shall enter heaven's gate.  - Blom

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY 
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For  the  Christian, dying  is  the  last  shadow of         
   earth's night before heaven's dawn.

The Bible in One Year:  Exodus 28-31


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