| “And He (Jesus) said unto them (His disciples), 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. And they departed into a desert place by ship privately. |
| “And the people saw them departing … and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto Him. And Jesus … was moved with compassion toward them” (Mark 6:31-34). |
| The Lord Jesus had just heard that Herod had beheaded John the Baptist. As our verses tell us, He and His disciples were also weary, for there had been so many people coming and going that they had not had time even to eat! The Lord Jesus told His disciples that they were going to a desert place for a rest. |
| But the people saw them leave in a ship, and being rather thoughtless, they ran around the Sea of Galilee, and were waiting for the Lord Jesus and His disciples when they arrived on the other side. How would you have reacted if that had happened to you? I hate to think of what I would have said! Those people were thinking only of themselves! But the Lord Jesus felt sorry for them, and instead of “telling them off,” He began to teach them. In another scripture it says that He healed their sick (Matthew 14:14). Then later, when it was time for them to go home, the Lord Jesus did not want to send them away hungry. He took five loaves and two fishes, and multiplied them so that they fed about five thousand men. There was even food left over! Only then did He send the people away. There is no record that either the Lord Jesus or His disciples got any rest that day. |
| This story is a good example for us. The Lord Jesus was a real man, and like you and me, He needed rest. But He did not come into this world to take a rest; He came to do the Father’s will. When He saw people who needed healing and teaching, He took the time to do it instead of resting. |
| God has left us here in this world to serve Him, and to represent Him to the people here. Sometimes they are thoughtless and may want us to do things for them when we are tired. At times like these we need to ask the Lord if these requests are something He wants us to do. Then the Lord will give us the strength to do it, and give us the right attitude too. Our rest will be in heaven, not down here. |
