The Matter of Leisure 1:The need for rest....culled from livingseed.org And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. Mark 6:31 First, the Lord saw their need for a break. He is not a taskmaster who does not look at the face of his workers before loading them with more tasks. He knows my need of rest and leisure. It was His own instruction: "Come ye yourself apart...". This is soothing to my own heart today. I do not need to feel as if it is wrong to give myself a break before I break down or break up. A labourer who has worked hard deserves rest and recuperation. It is a means of restoration and refreshing for him to do a more effective work in the days ahead. The Lord particularly remarked that they had no leisure so much as to eat. We need leisure to actually eat and take in nutrients for our health both spiritually and physically. It is not right to eat on the run. "Come ye yourselves..." The next striking thing to me in this verse is the way He has put it "Come ye yourselves apart" and not "Go, yourselves apart while I continue to push on with the burden of the work". He himself would go with them. He was going to share the time of relaxation with them. It would assure them that they are not just being lazy for seeking a holiday. Jesus my Lord is a worthy example for me here again. To make leisure authentic, He offered to go with them. He was indeed taking the lead. He, as the good shepherd, was going ahead of them to find a resting place for them. He knew the right spot to lead them to. He goes ahead of them to find a resting place for his flock. O Lord, even in this I want to be like you. I want to be so conformed to your image even in the way you relate with disciples. ... into a desert Again, I am touched with the choice of resort place He has chosen for the weary disciples. Whereas it would sound as a desert place as in a dry, dusty and hilly Sahara, where it hardly rains but the idea here is that of a deserted place. It is not a dry, thirsty land where the scotching heat of the sun is so hot that He was leading them. He only chose a deserted place for them to be alone all by themselves and to avoid interruption of people. Leisure is more fulfilling away from the noise of the city. The fresh air, the fresh country breeze and fresh fruits from the trees will bring freshness to the disciples. Meditation and deep contemplation is only enhanced in a solitary place where you can be so lost in thought and holy imagination without the interruption of artificialities that fill the city. A quiet, natural garden like Gethsemane, with wild life, free ranging animals and birds provides a space for the longing soul to both rest and retreat. He can cry out to the Lord in an uninterrupted manner and get connected with heaven so easily. Moses knew the blessedness of coming up hither to hear and see what the Lord had to show him. John the beloved not only had the deep revelation of the Lord Jesus in the island of Patmos; it was a place of rest for him, though his persecutors thought they punished him with banishment to the island where there was no means of transport. The whole Church would have missed the book of Revelation today if not for that blessed experience.
Posted on: Mon, 09 Sep 2013 19:27:00 +0000
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