And so to bed...
Article Date: 23/09/2014 12:44:27
Sarah Williams (CLC Wholesale UK) interviews author Adrian Reynolds about his new book, And so to bed...
In our fast-paced world, sleep often seems like a struggle. We tend to think of it as a rare luxury to be chased or a necessary inconvenience to be cheated. Whether you stare at the ceiling waiting to finally doze off or dose up on coffee to stay up working late, we feel like we’re constantly battling with sleep.
But what does God think about sleep? In his new book And So To Bed, writer and pastor Adrian Reynolds takes us back to the Bible and shows us what our Creator has to say about His good gift of sleep. We asked Adrian to tell us more…
Sarah: You mention in the introduction to And So To Bed that a sermon by C. J. Mahaney got you thinking about sleep. Can you tell us a bit more about how your idea for the book developed?
Adrian Reynolds: Pastorally, I was aware that many people find sleep a struggle. Most pastors notice this as people nod off in their sermons. But it all became much more personal when my eldest daughter was very seriously ill for a long period of time. One of the symptoms was that she was unable to sleep and it was shocking to see how that lack of sleep made everything else worse. I remembered that the Bible is not silent on the subject and determined to unearth some of its treasures – first of all for her, but it helped me too and people in our church.
While reading the book, I was struck by how much the Bible has to say about sleep. Were you surprised by anything you discovered when researching and writing this book?
I think it’s a key Bible theme that runs from start to finish. I think what I loved most was that sleep is a good thing. The world tends to think of sleep negatively. It’s macho to stay awake all night and, like Margaret Thatcher, to be able to “survive” on 4 hours sleep. That’s not a biblical attitude. Thinking of sleep as a “sweet” gift transformed my view of night-times.
In this book, you also show how sleep can help us understand the gospel itself. Do you see this as a book to give away to a friend?
I wrote it primarily for Christians, but I tried to make it accessible enough for anyone with no Biblical knowledge. But you’re right: sleep does teach us about death and so I want all kinds of people to read it.
Do you enjoy the writing process and do you have a particular writing routine?
I do enjoy writing, but have very little time! I work full time for The Proclamation Trust and also serve as Associate Minister at my church, so spare time is limited. The trustees graciously give me time to write – I therefore write in blocks and bursts. It does mean that there are several unfinished books on my desk just waiting for another burst!
What other titles would you recommend for people interested in a Christian perspective on sleep?
The reason I wrote the book is that I found no other Christian books. There are plenty of secular books which contain good and important wisdom; but nothing explicitly Christian. David Murray in the US is starting to think through these things: he may write soon, but in the meantime there’s lots of information on his Head, Heart, Hands blog.
There have been a number of recent books in which a similarly basic, everyday matter is explored from a Biblical perspective (e.g. The Everyday Gospel by Tim Chester, True Friendship by Vaughan Roberts, Crazy Busy by Kevin Deyoung). Why do you think we find it so hard to apply the gospel to our everyday lives?
The New Covenant life is quite different from the Old Covenant life. The law regulated pretty much all of life. Under the New Covenant we are often given principles to apply (e.g. generosity in 2 Corinthians 8-9 replaces tithing in the law). That means we have to apply godly wisdom to get from principles to practice. Some people would prefer law! But I prefer the way of the Spirit-filled life even if it means we have to think more and work things through. That’s how God has made us!
How have Christian books played a role in your life as a believer? Do you have an all-time favourite?
I love books! I’m a bookshop owners dream. My wife will tell you I own far too many. I tend to read quickly but the mark of a good book is that I slow down and read again. There aren’t many books I’ve done that with. The most helpful book I’ve personally read is Pleasing People by Louie Priolo. It really hit the mark for me. I also love Jeremiah Burroughs’ The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment. It’s an old Puritan book so can be hard work, but William Barcley has written a modern summary in The Secret of Contentment.
What are you reading at the moment?
I’m just getting ready for a big conference so I’m reading about ten books which are possible stage recommendations! But most time is being devoted to Taking God at his Word by Kevin Deyoung and What is the Meaning of Sex? by Danny Burk. Both are excellent.
Are you planning any further writing projects in the near future?
Half-finished is a church history book which is a gentle and accessible overview of church history for non-historians. I’m also working on the next volume in our PT Teaching series, Teaching Ezra.
Adrian Reynolds is Director of Ministry at the Proclamation Trust and also serves as associate minister at East London Tabernacle Baptist Church, London.
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