Feb 22

And He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a lonely place and rest a while.” (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.)
Mark 6:31

We often need to get away by ourselves. The demands of the world system in which we live can be very draining. We seemed to be pressed on all sides. The consequence of this can be a greatly diminished awareness of God in our lives, and a discontented outlook upon life. We may even get the idea that God is “too busy” as well, and that He could not possibly have time for us.

Jesus, in this passage, is all too aware of the needs of the disciples. He tells them to find a lonely place and rest. The irony of it all is that the crowds saw them leaving and followed—they even got there before the disciples! So often it is like this. But we are not to feel sorry for the disciples. A short time later Jesus will show them how to feed a great multitude, including themselves, from just five loaves and two fish. Certainly they had time to eat then! To their amazement there were twelve full baskets remaining after the feast.

We learn from this that the answer to our hurried lives is the touch of Jesus. The answer to our problems may not come in the form that we first seek, but it will come indeed if we simply obey Him. We need to anticipate solutions that go beyond our imagination.

By faith, Lord Jesus, let me not place limitations upon what You can do in my life. I need to eat of Your food. I may seek rest in lonely places, but my true rest is in You. Amen.
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