Just south of Washington D.C. is the home of our first president, George Washington. As you tour his home you will be impressed by the things that are still there. His presidential desk and chair, his reading glasses, and other possessions in the house. Even the bed he died on is there.
Interestingly, George Washington’s bed from 1799 is a king-size bed. If you look at it, it is obvious that his bed was longer and wider than an ordinary bed.
That which was so unusual in the 1790s is common today. Ours is the age of the oversized bed. Even traveling on a budget, one will find that hotels and motels usually offer a choice between a room with two queen-size beds or one with a king-size bed.
Imagine checking into a room and finding a single bed that is four feet long with a blanket that is two feet wide. What would you do? It would not take long to check out of that hotel. A bed too short and a blanket too narrow is not acceptable.
God compared people who trust in anyone but him as trying to sleep on such an undersized bed. Referring to people who face trouble, but trust human wisdom or resources to deliver them, God said that their “bed is too short and the blanket is too narrow.” (Isaiah 28:19) Like a big man trying to sleep in a tiny bed, it will never work. On a cold night, a small cover does not provide enough warmth.
In times of trouble, the only place of comfort is with God. The only blanket that will adequately cover you is God’s protection. God’s love and protection are never a bed too short. “The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are safe.” (Proverbs 18:10)
~Lonnie Davis