Mark 6:30-32
The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves.
As I read this passage and write this blog, I am in a hotel room in some city. This will be my fourth day on the road, speaking in one city and then the next. It has been a fun week and an exhausting week at the same time. Two days ago I talked to a group of leaders on the subject of "strategic abandonment," which is speaker-code-speak for, "how to quit something" you are currently doing and why "quit" doing it. Yesterday was a 14 hour day of coaching one-on-one and speaking to two separate groups in the morning, afternoon and evening. We live in a pretty busy time in our society. We ALL of a very full calendar and we al tend to put more on each day than we do strategically abandon it. As I read the above passage I am struck by the comment made by Jesus to His disciples. These men were mere fishermen. They knew what a long day would be be and they had, especially in those days, a supreme work ethic. Even without wifi I am sure they were productive individuals. They didn't spend much of their time, if any, on entertainment or mindless watching news, a TV show or listening to talk radio. They had no phone to play them their favorite music. Technically, they didn't even have a calendar. Yet, in the service for Jesus they had NO TIME for leisure ... even to eat!! We have all been there, yet, probably not like these men. Jesus' solution was for them to get away to a boat (since I live on a boat most of my days I find this especially pleasing). The boat, to most of the disciples was a familiar place. It was a place that would have reminded them of the beginning; a place that would have reminded them of what they left behind to follow Jesus; it was a place to focus on the internal and eternal, rather than the pressing needs of the external. These were not men who made a bad choice on their calendars, but men who choose to follow the service of the King. They escaped to be refreshed because they worked so hard in that service they had "no leisure even to eat." Jesus told them to stop and to get away. Jesus wanted them to "rest awhile." The word rest, according to Greek scholars means: "to cause or permit one to cease from any movement or labour in order to recover and collect his strength." In the parable of the Rich Fool in Luke's gospel the word is used in a sense of foolishness in the verse below. After the rich man had accumulated much wealth (his retirement nest-egg), he is said to say the following:
Luke 12:19
And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’
This is not the rest our Lord is talking about in the above passage when He tells the disciples to get away to a desolate place to find a boat and rest. He is not telling them to take a cruise ... although there is nothing wrong with a cruise. He is not telling them to find personal leisure time to simply check out of the world. He is telling them to realize that life is busy (in any age) and that finding a place to do some introspective work, is a good thing even for our Savior and His disciples. The interesting aspect of this story is that before the disciples can do this (escape to a place on their boat) the crowds need to be sent away. But, as Jesus sees the crowds He is moved with compassion and wants to know how to feed them. He is about to feed 5,000 people with a little boy's lunch. Even in their hectic pace and full calendar, Jesus takes another meeting. He tells them to escape than in right in their path is another opportunity for Him to glorified and honor the Father. God is always at the center of our work and leisure, no matter if we have been working all day. The truth is, God has given us the day to use the day for His glory and His purpose. That might mean busy and tired and no time, even to eat. Yet, for His glory the strength and resources (a little boys lunch) are quickly turned into a story known all around the world, even to unbelievers. Even in the midst of seeking leisure to eat and to recharge, the ministry of glorifying God is still at the center.
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