Get Some Rest

“Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, Jesus said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest’” (Mark 6:31)

           

            This is how one of the most popular and well-known miracles of Jesus begins. It’s the story of the feeding of the 5000. But the story starts in a unique way. The disciples are tired. They’ve been doing and doing and doing, and they’ve been so busy and they’ve had so many people coming to them for help that they don’t even have time to eat. Now that’s busy! Being a United Methodist pastor it seems that sometimes time is measured from potluck to potluck. But seriously, eating is important to maintain the pace that we set. Eating is important to survival. And here is Jesus and his disciples, so busy that they don’t even have time to take care of themselves.

            Maybe you know what that’s like. Maybe there aren’t hundreds or thousands of people coming to you for healing, but maybe it feels like it. Maybe the demands that are on you right now are wearing you down. Or maybe it is just that life itself seems to be wearing you down. The constant, or the monotnant, rhythms of life are simply too much right now.

            Notice what Jesus does. He tells his weary and worn workers to come away with him to a quiet place so that they can get some rest.

            They have been doing work, but they were worn out. You can’t keep giving to others if you aren’t getting filled back up yourself. So, the plan is that they get into a boat and head to the other side of the lake to this solitary place. Jesus had been modeling this for them for a while now. Jesus had a habit himself, of getting up early in the morning and going to a solitary place to pray. I think this helped Jesus fill back up. Prayer does that. It is fuel for the empty tank. It is comfort for the downtrodden. It is life giving energy to the spiritually dry.

            So they get away with Jesus, at least for a little while. See, all those people know where they are going, so they all head over to the other side of the lake, too. So there they are, with all their issues, all their problems, and all their needs. The very same people that Jesus was trying to help his disciples get away from. And now they’ve even created a new issue for themselves, they are far from home…it’s getting late…there’s nowhere to get them food….and you know the rest of that story. Jesus feeds them all with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish.

            But here is what I really want you to hear today: Time alone with Jesus is critical for you.

There will be demands that you need to address. There will be distractions that vie for your time and attention. But Jesus is inviting you to come away with him for a little while, to a solitary place, and get some rest.

            The disciples do that, and then they are able to minister to the needs of the people as Jesus allows them to be a part of a mighty miracle showing God’s provision and grace. This will free us up from feeling we have to act because we are responsible for the people around us, to realizing we get this opportunity to act because we are responsible to the people around us.

            So today take some to come away with Jesus to a quiet place, and get some rest. And then when you are filled and rested…go feed the people.