Come Apart and Rest

“And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.  And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.”  ~ Mark 6:30-32 

My parents taught me that, “The job isn’t done until the tools have been properly cared for and put away.”  That meant that the lawn mowing wasn’t done until the lawn mower was refueled, and the pack of grass was scraped out from under the mower.  The baking wasn’t done until the dishes were washed, the counters were wiped down and the floor was mopped.  

In these verses, we see Jesus taking the time to take proper care of His tools – the disciples.  This is a necessary part of missionary service. As tools, we need a fresh oiling that comes from time with the Master Builder.  If we refuse this time of repair, and just keep working in our own strength, we will become rusty, ineffective, and sometimes useless.  When we refuse to follow the Biblical principle of rest, we place ourselves in a dangerous place.  These websites outline some of what the physical, mental, and emotional consequences will be.

The Effects of Sleep Deprivation

The Symptoms of Stress

When the day comes that you feel like quitting, please ask yourself whether you have been obedient to the Lord in this area.  Please don’t quit, when all you really need to do, is rest in His Presence.