Daily Light - February 22, 2011

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while."

Mark 6:31

Jesus had sent His disciples out to serve and equipped them for their service. They went out from there and saw great miracles take place. They had the power over diseases and unclean spirits; signs and wonders took place every where they went. They boldly preached the message of repentance in every city they entered and saw people turn to faith in the living God. When they returned to tell Jesus all that they had seen and done, they were still overflowing with excitement and joy. You can almost imagine Jesus smiling much like a parent watching their children open Christmas presents.

It is interesting what Jesus does next. With these disciples so amped up and ecstatic it would almost seem appropriate if He sent them back out again to do more. They would have surely charged back out excitedly with great expectations of what else they might do for the glory of God. Jesus, however, tells them to go find a quiet place of rest and stay there for a while. Why would He do this when the fire was so hot? If they rest now, they might lose their edge.

It is called the wisdom of God. He knows His creation, and He knows that there is power and strength found in rest. He even gave us this example in Creation when He rested on the seventh day. The Old Testament law called for a Sabbath so that man might rest from all his labor. In our crazy and hectic society we act as if rest is for the weak. A newspaper article in the 1980s said that with the entrance of future technology that we would only work about the average of 30 hours per week. Instead, we have found other things to do to fill the time and are working well over 40 hours per week. Many married couples see little of each other because they are too busy. Parents pass their children like ships in the night with little or no interaction. Our personal time with God is set to a time limit because we have things to do and places to go. Perhaps God is looking down on our lives and calling us to get alone with Him and rest a while.

A few years back I received a new book, a magazine article, and a set of sermons on cd that were all on the same subject by three different sources. The subject was "Burn Out in the Ministry". People in every walk of life are giving up and quitting, because they have not heeded the great admonition given by our Lord, "Be still and know that I am God."

May you find time to rest a while very soon!