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<h2><SPAN name="SLEEP" id="SLEEP" /><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_90" id="Page_90"></SPAN>[90]</span>SLEEP</h2> <p>I hope you had a good sleep last night. I hope you sleep well every night. God's best gift to his children is sleep. You think there are some better gifts, do you? Name them. Ah, I thought you were mistaken. The more you think about it the more you will agree with me that sleep, the Father's loving provision for tired people, is a most blessed gift.</p> <p>Now God gives sleep not only to girls and boys but to all of his creatures. Do you know how some of those creatures sleep? I will tell you. Elephants and horses commonly sleep standing up. How would you like to hear your mother say to you, "Robert, it's time to go to bed, stand in the corner there and sleep." Most birds sleep with the head turned toward the tail and the beak poked in under the feathers. Storks, gulls and all other long-legged birds sleep standing on one leg. It would be more difficult to sleep that way than just standing in the corner, wouldn't it? The fox and the wolf sleep with the tip of the nose and the soles of the <span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_91" id="Page_91"></SPAN>[91]</span>feet close together, and the big, bushy tail covering all to keep them warm. Owls sleep in the daytime. They have eyelids, and over the eyelids, curtains. These curtains are drawn across the eyes, sideways, and keep out the strong light of the day. Hares, snakes and fish sleep with their eyes open.</p> <p>Why does God give us sleep? Is it for the pleasure of sleeping? No. He gives us sleep that our bodies and minds may be refreshed. The strength we have expended during the day is repaid us in the sleep of the night. Be grateful to your heavenly Father when to-night you kneel to pray:</p> <p>"Now I lay me down to sleep."</p> <p>MEMORY VERSE, <i>Psalm</i> 127: 2</p> <div class="blockquot"><p>"So he giveth his beloved sleep."</p> </div> <p>MEMORY HYMN [541]</p> <div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> <span><i>"Of all the thoughts of God."</i><br/></span></div> </div> <hr style="width: 65%;" /> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />

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