Quiet and Rest
Mark 6:30-31 30
The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 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.” NIV
Exhaustion. Fatigue. Burn out. These are all maladies of productive people. People who have a lot of stuff to do, people who take seriously the need to get it done. In this passage, it was Godly people. Followers of Christ. Those emulating the ministry of Christ, still found themselves pushed to their limits.
Christ himself, often worked from daylight to dark, ministering to the needs of the people. He taught, He preached, He healed, He cast out demons. All of this pushed the limits of His human body. He was totally God, but chose to be limited by a shell of a body- to identify with us. To pay the price for us. To make us free. Because of His humanity, He understood the need to come aside and refresh body and soul in the presence of Almighty God.
The disciples had just returned from doing the commission that Jesus had given them. And apparently with enough success, that they were drawing a crowd. Because of the hustle and bustle that accompanies meeting the needs of people, ministry often tires people out more than other types of work. Ministry draws on the physical strength; mental energy and the depths of the spirit of a person as well. That is why parenting, ministry, and other helping professions can be so draining- all people are never fixed and one time. There is no end to the need or demand.
We know that Jesus’ earthly ministry was approximately 3 years long. With such a limited time, it is surprising that Jesus took time to draw aside with God to pray and renew Himself. Or perhaps because the time was short, it was all the more needed!
Dishwashers, microwaves, washing machines, all things designed to free up our time, has only succeeded in causing us to cram even more things into an already-too-busy day. Cell phones and internet allow us to work our jobs into the wee hours of the morning. At times, all night long. With the grind and the stress, how can we be anything but tired?
It encourages me to know that Jesus sees the need for rest. He promotes it. He models it. He does this because He knows what it is to have a big job to do (the biggest ever!) and to be limited by the constraint of the human existence. We are not to be lazy, but neither are we to be overly productive and busy. Frenzy does not bring peace. Balance is required if we want to run the marathon without burning out in the first few miles of the race.
What restores you? Reading? Time on the back deck? A walk in the woods or a park? Make time for those things. It is not wrong. It is God-ordained and needful. Go ahead! Have a bubble bath! Take a much needed nap. Take a few days off from work. Seek restoration from your Creator. Once you are refreshed, your productivity will greatly increase! Find solace in quiet times with the Lord. Rest in His care.
Dear Lord, I need you to restore my soul. Refresh my outlook. Realign my focus. Help me to rest in you and find quiet for my spirit. Grant me wisdom to balance aright busy-ness with rest. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Great devotion, Sherri! !! I am learning breaks and rest are good.