Break, Time Off, Vacation

Mark 6

[30] And the Apostles gathered themselves together to Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. [31] And he said unto them, Come ye apart into the wilderness, and rest a while: for there were many comers and goers, that they had not leisure to eat. [32] So they went by ship out of the way into a desart place.

Mark 6:30-32 GNV

Sometimes you just need to take a break. The disciples had just returned from having been sent out two by two, preaching the good news, healing the sick, casting out demons. It was so exciting to share with Jesus and with each other being together again. At the same time they heard the news of the death of John the Baptist. Jesus knows what needs to be done. In Mark 1:35 we see that Jesus got up before dawn to go apart, go apart to pray. Jesus knew what these disciples had done while exciting, it was also exhausting. The also needed to get up and go apart.

The excitement wears down. The activity level goes back to similar as it had been. Even the news of the death of John the Baptist would sink into their thoughts and feelings. They needed rest. They needed to get away. Today we might call it a day off, a vacation, a holiday, a mental reset. Jesus recognized they needed this and had them depart, get in the boat and go to a desert place, a wilderness where not many people were around.

While I bave been writing a bit of my intended meditation this week many other things in my life have been happening simultaneously. That confluence of unrelated activities wore me down even the last couple of weeks. I need to come apart and rest a while, or I’ll come a part for certain. As a president of a Bible college said, “Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is take a nap.”