Perfect peace...

Turn the volume up! Listen carefully! Can you guess what it is?

A black bear in hibernation... snoring a lot louder than your spouse!!!

Their body temperature drops about 6° F., their metabolism winds down to a mere 25% of normal, they become so efficient in hibernation that they do not urinate or defecate the entire time, their body fat provides nourishment and water, their thick skin shelters from the severe, extended cold, their muscle mass and bone density remain the same in spite of the total inactivity.

Sometimes I wish humans could hibernate... don't you ever dream about just curling up somewhere and sleeping away the next few months? (oops, am I the only one? this could get embarrassing...)

But wait... I just remembered something that I read in the Bible: “Thou wilt keep [him] in perfect peace, [whose] mind [is] stayed [on thee]: because he trusteth in thee.” (Isaiah 26:3)

Turns out that I can do better than a bear: if I have Jesus Christ in my heart, I could potentially hibernate 12 months out of the year, year in and year out! I could cast all my burdens on him (Psalm 55:22), I could sleep fitfully every night because I know he is watching over me (Psalm 3:5); I could snore away even in the worst blizzards and cold spells.

Poor Apostle Peter... so impulsive, so "lips moving before his brain was engaged", you know. But Peter is one of my all-time hibernation heroes: "Peter was sleeping between two soldiers," (Acts 12:5-6) What!? Herod wanted blood... the brethren where beseeching God in prayer for his release... and Peter... in prison sleeping between two soldiers... I love it!!

In fact, the next church I start, I think we might name it the "Hibernating Baptist Church". The preaching won't be anything spectacular, but the name should draw some interest.

Excuse me, I have to go now and work on my snoring technique...