My sister Kris once slept near 24 hours. I don’t remember the exact duration but she went to sleep at a decent hour one evening and didn’t wake up until the next evening. Upon emerging from her coffin she said she would not have resurrected but she had to fiercely relieve herself. She was a sleep ninja, insane skills. Yet you can be a sleep expert and not have rest.
You might say that you had a good night’s sleep, or a good night’s rest, but no one ever talks about a sleepful weekend. I’ve never heard anyone say, I feel sleeped. There is a difference. Rest trumps sleep.
I read about this guy Tony Wright, he tried to break the world sleep record. The facts are fuzzy from my little research (I wonder if it might be the sources Wikipedia and Bloggers) but it seems that Mr. Wright stayed awake 11 days, or 264 hours. Upon awaking, having slept he either (a) found out that he fell short of the record set by some dude in Finland by 11 hours or (b) found out that American Randy Gardner’s record still stands because Guinness is no longer accepting records because of the danger of sleep deprivation. I wonder if this bothered him so, torment him so that he could not sleep? Or maybe he could still sleep, it was rest that he was lacking. His soul was in turmoil, all his striving was for nothing; to catch up on sleep would not do, his soul needed rest.
Jesus didn’t simply hold sleep out to us, he said:
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. – Matthew 11:28-30
No Other Boast 