Come Apart and Rest a While

We’re all going on a Summer holiday,
No more working for a week or two.
Fun and laughter on our summer holiday
No more worries for me or you, for a week or two.
Lyrics by Sir Cliff Richards – British 1960’s

I love how practical Jesus is in the way that He prepared his disciples for the journey ahead. If you ever want to know what real leadership looks like, Jesus is an incredible example. He didn’t write any books that I am aware of. He didn’t have any leadership position in any institution that we might recognize. In fact, within His context, what we read is “He came to his own, but his own did not recognize Him. But to as many as received Him, he gave them the power to become the sons of God.”

Jesus and His disciples has been really busy with the teaching and preaching and other parts of His earthly ministry, and everyone was getting pretty tired. So what does Jesus suggest?

“Come apart and rest a while.” (Mark 6:31). This is practical leadership. This is noticing, as the context of that verse states, “for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to even eat.” We all need a break from time to time. And Felicity and I are about to go on such a break. We just celebrated with an evening at a nice restaurant a fabulous Italian meal. This was to celebrate our 49^th wedding anniversary. And it was a wonderful break from the daily sameness of the restrictions that Covid-19 has place on us all. But now we are about to be blessed with 8 days away. Maybe some sun and swimming, maybe a hurricane since there is one happening within a day or so of when we arrive. Either way it will be restful and a blessing. A time to walk, to laugh, to play cards (we love Canasta), to have some nice meals, to pray, to read, to relax, to meet new friends.

Sometimes we need someone to tell us, “It’s time to take a break.” I am so glad that being a follower of Jesus is such a practical walk of spirituality in daily life. I am not allergic to hard work – the so called Protestant Work Ethic – but let’s learn how to “rest a while” as well.