Daily Devotional October 3 - Where do you go to rest?

"And the Apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told Him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. And he (Jesus) said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while." Mark 6:30-31

Jesus had been with the disciples probably less than a year at this point. He had taught them and showed them how to live under the influence of God. He had given them instruction and helped them through their fears and their inadequacies. They had seen Jesus heal people who touched his cloak as he walked by, raise the dead, calm the waters and much more. Now Jesus sends them out for a short season to continue the work, practice, so to speak, what they had learned. And they did. They were all clamoring for an opportunity to tell Jesus what happened when they did this or that, who was healed and how lives were changed. They came back revealing that what they had been taught works.

Jesus says to them, let's rest for a while.

You know, the needs are great, and just as fast as you do some mighty work for Jesus, or you do some little thing for someone in need there will be others standing in line as far as you can see and beyond with needs, even yourself. Haven't you felt that at times? You did something for someone or gave something up you really wanted for yourself, or even gave of your own need and now you are the person who has a need that needs met? Come and let's go to a desert place and rest a while. Have you ever been on a vacation and when you got back you were more tired than when you left, because all you did was go, go, go and do, do, do? You planned a vacation but you planned to do so many things that rest was never made the center point of the vacation. That's fine and there are times, especially when you have kids, that you just have to go have some fun. But that is not rest.

The reason that Jesus took the disciples in a desert place was because in the desert place there is nothing to do, no one needing, wanting or requiring your attention, less distractions, less din. Jesus knows how hard you work and there are times when going to Disney World just isn't what your body, mind or soul need. You need to find a desert place and retreat there. Jesus is calling you apart to come to a desert place with Him. What a wonderful way to spend the day.