Mark 6:31 “And He said to them, ‘Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while….”
Dear God,
I so appreciate that I gain rest, peace and rejuvenation, as I come apart and spend time with You in the morning hour or so. I have been reading about the ministry of Jesus, with the constant calls upon His time, which frequently came with needs for counselling and healing, from many very needy, persistent people, milling all around Jesus constantly from early morning until late in the day. During the day, there seemed to be little time for the disciples and He to relax, talk and enjoy one another’ s company. Without being filled with the Holy Spirit I imagine the ministry of Jesus would have almost been too taxing to maintain, day after day.
Mark tells of a time when Jesus wanted some quiet time in a secluded spot, with the 12 disciples, and so they set off in a boat by themselves. Many of the people followed Him, on foot around the lake, and Jesus in compassion could not send them away, for He knew that they needed to spend time with Him, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.
Then it was getting late, and there was some distance for them to walk back to their homes and a meal. So again the compassionate heart of Jesus was stirred, and by a miracle, He fed all of them, and then sent the multitude home and His disciples off over the lake in the boat. Jesus needed quiet time and time with His Father in prayer, so He went up alone into the mountain to pray.
Thank You Lord, for the lessons here for me, for often I have not taken rest and relaxation enough, and time in the evening to pray more than a few sentences, because of my busyness. Forgive me please, and enable me to put thoughts into prayer in a thankful meaningful way in the evening, when my mind has shut down in a tired state.
Amen