September 6, 2011 Get Quiet and Rest

Get Quiet and Rest
Read Mark 6 - 7

Mark 6:31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
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Mark 6:45-46 Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.

PERHAPS it is my perception, but it seems that in our culture today it is shameful to have times of rest. We seem to wear a mantle of pride in “I’m busy.” We find ways to fill our days and weeks with commitments and activities that keep us from rest.
Exhaustion, weariness, confusion and negativism can be the result of too little rest. See here how Jesus functioned.
Jesus did not want his disciples to be weary in their ministry. He did not want their minds to wander from the purpose of his call on their lives. Instead, he knew the limitations of the human body, and he called on them to rest. And he modeled this.
Often we read of Jesus’ solitary activity of prayer. By himself, he went to be with the Father. He knew there were more people to heal, more souls to save, more sermons to give. He also knew his time here was limited to do these things. But he rested anyway. He rested in the Father.
Go today, and do likewise, for it is good. Rest is healing and renewing. Rest gives you time to be with your Lord.


Pause and Consider: do you worship “busy” or do you worship God?