Day Sixty-seven

“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.’” (Mark 6:31)

Scripture Reading: Mark 6:7–13, 30–32

We discover great wisdom in knowing when to retreat with God. I’m not talking about a prayer retreat dedicated to intense intercession or a believer’s conference dedicated to deepening spiritual growth. Although both examples enhance our spiritual maturity, I’m speaking of a different kind of retreat—the “original” retreat.

The disciples had been on the road preaching, driving out demons, anointing the sick with oil, and healing people in Jesus’ name. Although their ventures were successful, Christ looked past their adrenaline and into their exhaustion. He spoke some of my favorite words in the Gospel of Mark: “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Jesus wasn’t just talking about a nap. The original Greek word for rest is anapauo which means “to give rest, quiet, recreate, refresh.”15 He was talking about a nap plus a game of volleyball in the sand, or a barefooted walk through a creek, or a glass of lemonade accompanied by fun stories and a few laughs, or a walk by themselves, or a simple talk not meant to change the world. RECREATION. Servant of God, occasionally you’ve just got to have it—in Jesus’ name.

I don’t think our text is necessarily talking about a ski trip with the relatives—although God certainly honors a good family vacation. Our Scriptures today relate times when Christ calls hardworking servants aside to recreate with Him and in Him. This kind of recreation differs from a vacation. The distinction may be hard to define, but it is pretty easy to discern. Mark 6:30–32 describes refreshment with spiritual results—a deeper appreciation for God, an acute awareness of His presence, a sense of His approval, a bask in His love.

Would you like to hear some really good news? Christ’s call to recreation doesn’t come just once in a lifetime. Look back at the original Greek word for rest. Those first three letters, ana, mean “again.” In other words, Christ called His disciples to rest, recreate, and find refreshment in Him again!

As we serve Him with all of our hearts, Christ will intermittently woo us to a place of rest and refreshment. We don’t have to preach from village to village, cast out demons, and heal the sick to qualify for a little refreshment. God honors our wholehearted willingness to serve Him in whatever capacity He has appointed.

When we’re exhausted, God calls us to rest. We need only to grant ourselves a little permission. God doesn’t work us into the ground. He desires us well grounded in our work. Knowing when to retreat helps define the difference.