Resting In Jesus, pt 2
OPENING PRAYER:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for knowing us and providing our needs every day. You designed us for work and for rest. We praise you for the life-giving rest you so freely give.
READ:
The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. Mark 6:30-32
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”Mark 1:35
Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Luke 5:15-16
REFLECT:
As shown in the above verses, to rest in Jesus we must include time to be apart from the crowd. In our present day “the crowd”, at times, is the digital one. We see in Mark 6:31-21 that Jesus urges his apostles to “come with me by yourselves”. We also see that getting away from the crowd is something he did himself as “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places.” Why do we need to get away? It’s there that the Holy Spirit can work in us.
From Oswald Chamber’s devotional, My Utmost for His Highest, “There are vast areas of stubbornness and ignorance the Holy Spirit has to reveal in each of us, but it can only be done when Jesus gets us alone. Are we alone with him now? Or are we more concerned with our own ideas, friendships, and cares for our bodies? Jesus cannot teach us anything until we quiet all our intellectual questions and get alone with him.”
APPLY:
The Holy Spirit wants solitude with us. One way God will speak to a Christian is through his word, the Bible. It’s a living thing that can pierce your very heart, convicting and teaching in one fair swoop. Can I admit that I forgot that the Bible is more than just instruction? As I read the Bible this week, the Holy Spirit reminded me to let the power of God’s word transform.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Father, thank you that your yoke is easy and your burden is light. We know that in this life we will be yoked to something. Soften our hearts to your word. Let it be a living thing, shaping and encouraging us. Give us rest. Amen.