Mark 6:31-32 Come Rest a while
He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a little while” —for there were many [people who were continually] coming and going, and they could not even find time to eat. (AMP)
Joke:
A husband checked into the hotel. Then he decided to send an email to his wife. However, he accidentally left out one letter from her email address and sent the email without realizing his error.
Meanwhile, a widow had just returned home from her husband's funeral. The widow decided to check her email, expecting condolence messages from family and friends.
But after reading her very first email, she screamed and fainted. The widow's son rushed into the room, found his mother on the floor, and saw the computer screen which read: ‘My Loving Wife, I've Arrived, I know you're surprised to hear from me. They have computers here now and you are allowed to send emails to your loved ones. I've just arrived and have been checked in. I've seen that everything has been prepared for your arrival tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing you then! Hope your journey is as uneventful as mine was.’(Adopted).
Introduction:
Rest is one of the themes that runs from Genesis to Revelation. In Genesis, God “rested on the seventh day” of creation (Gen. 2:2). In Revelation, we are promised an eternal rest: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord … they will rest from their labors.”
Rest is defined as refreshing yourself from sleeping or relaxing, inactivity after exerting yourself or rejuvenating yourself by lying down. It's also defined as alleviating weariness. When we're constantly working, concerned, worried, or planning how to get what's next, we don't give our minds the quiet time our soul needs to connect with ourselves on a deeper level, God, and the God within us. It means being mindful in order to experience and appreciate the world around you, and your immediate environment. When you become mindful, you become aware of all the things for which you have to be grateful (Ref: happier human).
The daily routine of working, along with managing and troubleshooting life, can be overwhelming at times. In fact, it often makes it hard to quiet your mind. We run after more things, more money, more success, and more friends. Rest allows our mind, body, and soul to renew and start with even more strength and focus. God is an endless source of peace and strength. His presence gives rest (Exodus 33:14).
William Barclay talks of two dangers in Christian life. First, is the danger of excessive activity, work without rest, working for God without listening to God, and without time with God. It may well be that the whole trouble in our lives is that we give God no opportunity to speak to us because we do not know how to be still and to listen; we give God no time to recharge us with spiritual energy and strength because there is no time when we wait upon him. Second, is the danger of too much withdrawal. The devotion that does not lead to action is not real devotion. Prayer that does not make you work is not real prayer. We must never seek the fellowship of God in order to avoid the fellowship of men.
1. Food and Rest
Jesus told his disciples about the importance of Food, Rest, and being away from the noisy situations, away from cries, and concerns. He told his disciples to go with him to a desert place, and rest a while (KJV), a remote place and rest for a while (CSB), a place where we can be alone and can get some rest (CEV), We will go to a quiet place to be alone. There we will get some rest (ERV), a desolate place, and rest awhile (ESV), a lonely [isolated; deserted] place to get some rest (EXB), into the wilderness, and rest a while (GNV). Rest is a must for every creature, especially for us.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:1-3). “He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:29-31).
A pause to cease from the hustle and noise of life so we are able to: Seek His will and determine our steps; spend time with God so we are able to listen to Him; re-energize, avoid burnout; to keep serving Him in whatever capacity we have been called (ref: wellspring Christian ministries). 1 Kings 19:12 is the only verse in the Bible that talks about God speaking in a whisper. He whispers through Preachers, reading, conversation, etc.,
2. Rest and Place
This desert place belonged to the city called Bethsaida (Luke 9:10). It had a large forest, and common pasture, on the seashore, which can be reached by ship, and you can enjoy the motion of the boats.
Rest is found in being in the place God wants you to be—both literally and spiritually. Canaan, the promised land, was called “the resting place” (Deut. 12:9). Possessing the land was synonymous with receiving rest: “The Lord your God will give you rest, and he will give you this land.” (Josh. 1:1).
The resting place is free from interruptions (Barnes). It shouldn’t become another camps office, a Holiday office. Go to a place free from noise and hurry, and take some rest and refreshment, after their wearisome journey, hard labors, and great fatigue in preaching and working miracles.
Solomon told King Hiram about the rest he enjoyed in his nation. “But now the Lord my God hath given me rest on every side so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.” (1 Kings 5:4). Resting on Him means thinking about His goodness and all the ways it's manifested in the world and your life. “But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,' declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 30:17). “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospered in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.” (Psalm 37:7). “And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.” (Isaiah 32:18).
3. Rest and Sleep
Jesus longs to bring us into close proximity and into an intimate fellowship with himself. He wants us to take whatever circumstance we are in. In 2 Chronicles 20:17, God tells his people to “position yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord. He is with you.” Quiet time with Christ.
David in anguish, in restless situations, and caught in problems in the household and in the nation, sings in Psalm 55:6 “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. But later he confesses and said in Psalm 3:5 ‘I lie down and sleep; I wake again because the Lord sustains me.’ And in Psalm 4:8 ‘I will lie down and sleep in Peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.’ Psalm 127:2 ‘he grants sleep to those he loves.’ He keeps in perfect peace those who trust in Him (Isaiah 26:3). Philippians 4:7 the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. The final rest is promised in Isaiah 57:2 ‘Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death.’ “Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.” (Psalm 116:7).
