Tired

Come away by yourselves to a remot place and rest a while. Mark 6:31

Most of us understand perfectly what it is to be tired. Sometimes it is a long day with too many clothes to wash, floors to sweep, meals to cook, or perhaps we went to work early and stayed late and the boss was on a tear. Maybe it’s been a long week with more tasks than we could handle, or a month with no days off. No matter whether the work is physical, mental, or spiritual, we find ourselves tired, and we are almost unable or certainly unwilling, to go on.

In Mark 6:31 (Luke 7:10) Jesus invited the twelve to a retreat in the desert because He knew they needed rest and privacy after their tiring ministry and the press of the people. They were surely disturbed by the death of John the Baptist (Mark 6:14ff) and their journey had been difficult. The Scriptures seem to indicate that they didn’t get much resting accomplished (at least Jesus didn’t) but perhaps they were able to secure some time while Jesus went on without them.

Along with the tiredness of their experience, there was the hurt that comes from folks who would not hear their message. People had undoubtedly turned them away, mocked their skill, derided their commitment, and, as I mentioned earlier, killed their friend. All of that came together to the point that Jesus knew some desert time was mandatory.

I believe that our worship experiences, individually and collectively, ought to be times of refreshing and encouragement. Sometimes they are not. Our work of reaching out to the spiritual and physical needs of our community ought to infuse us with enthusiasm. Sometimes it does not. What then can we do?

How about some time alone with Jesus? It won’t be a week in Hawaii, but it can do more for the dissipation of discouragement and despair than any number of weeks in Hawaii. Taking time to shut out the dissonance of daily life, to absent our self from the apathy and ignorance of our society’s indifference to our God-given task, can be therapeutic in the short term.

John Peterson in his hymn “No One Understands Like Jesus” said,

No one understands like Jesus when the days are dark and grim. No one is so near, so dear as Jesus; cast all your care on Him.”
No one understands like Jesus; every woe He sees and feels. Tenderly He whispers comfort, and the broken heart He heals.
No one understands like Jesus when the foes of life assail. You should never be discouraged; Jesus cares and will not fail.

(©1952 John W. Peterson Music Company)