"Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."
~Mark 6:30-31~
What were the disciples reporting to Jesus? He had sent them out to teach and preach in the surrounding areas, and they had all just returned to tell him about their experiences. In Mark 6:7-13, Jesus gave them authority over evil spirits and commissioned them to go out in pairs and preach in the towns. They preached repentance, drove out many demons, and anointed many people for healing. Exhilarating experiences, but exhausting as well, I would think.
It sounds like the whole time they were giving their updates over dinner, they were being interrupted by the noise and traffic of crowds around them. Probably people coming and wanting to talk to Jesus or ask for healing as well. Maybe there were people wanting to listen in on the reports. Perhaps the disciples were eagerly giving their reports and getting fired up to go out and do more, or perhaps they really felt drained even as they rejoiced in what God had done through them. Either way, Jesus knew that what they needed was a time to eat their meal in peace, and to rest and recharge.
In his goodness, Jesus invited his disciples to take a break from the busy-ness and chaos, to sit down to a leisurely meal with uninterrupted conversation, and to enjoy some peace and quiet and a time of rest. Not just alone time, but alone time with Jesus. And we all need this, don't we? We all need to recognize when we need a break. When it's time to put our feet up and lay our head back and rest awhile. When it's our turn to receive and be fed.
Listen to the compassionate voice of Jesus when he gently says, "Come to a quiet place and let's talk while you rest." He knows what you need now, and how you'll need to be prepared for the coming days.
Do you know what happened next in this story? Jesus and the disciples had gone by themselves in a boat so they could have some quiet, but the crowds were waiting for them when they came ashore. And having met the needs of his disciples, Jesus went ahead to meet the needs of the crowds. He spent the rest of the day teaching them, and then invited the disciples to give the crowds something to eat. With the bread that they had. They didn't realize it, but they were prepared.
Because they had been with Jesus.
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Thank you for the reminder of how important it is to be with Jesus on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteKym, I so appreciate this post. It is important for us to realize we need to rest. We need time alone with God. It is how we regroup, refocus, and are prepared for those in our lives. Blessings to you today!
ReplyDeleteHe does prepare for the weary times. Thanks for the reminder scripture. Have a great Sunday.
ReplyDeleteWhat we see as a luxury or an extra item in our schedule, God sees as utterly indispensable. May we begin to see our priorities as he sees!
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite passages. God knows our needs better than we do.
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