When You're in Need of Rest

The hectic schedules.

The stress of the ‘to do’ lists.

The demands from others.

Sometimes you need to get away from it all just like Jesus did.

As the multitudes would follow and press into the Lord desiring His healing or seeking a sign, I have often found it interesting how Jesus would get away from those he ministered to. Many times in the Scriptures you would read that He got into a boat. Yep, a boat. After all, someone can still reach you while you’re trying to go to the bathroom! (I think only a mom understands this one!)

No one can reach you in a boat, except for those you’ve invited on board.

When Jesus heard it, (that John the Baptist was beheaded), He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities. Matthew 14:13 (Words in bold my emphasis.)

Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. Matthew 14:22

Now I don’t happen to have a boat I can get into in order for me to be free from all of my responsibilities, but I can get away from the daily grind of life. And that’s what I did this past week! Perhaps you missed me in my on-line space?

My family and I were invited to camp with some friends at San Clemente Beach in So. Calif. We’ve camped at this location before but if you’ve ever been camping then you know you don’t get much rest. I mean, really, who in their right mind wants to sleep in a tent (or in a hotel on wheels), cook on a small stove, and take a shower where you need to insert quarters?? Not this gal! That kind of rest is not what my body longs for, yet it’s what my mind needed.

It was nice to turn things off. Forego my to-do lists. Laugh a lot. Chase off skunks that entered our campsite every night. Eat chocolate. Dig my toes into the sand. Well, not really, I’m not too fond of sand. I did, however, like sitting in my beach chair as I watched the ocean waves come crashing down. It’s funny though, while I was sitting there looking out into the vast blue sea I thought of Jesus and I thought of you.

I thought about how when Jesus left the multitudes and He was done resting, He came right back and continued on in His ministry. After all, He was about His Father’s business!

I want to be about my Father’s business too, but in order for me to do that, I needed rest, and laughter, some firewood to throw at skunks, and let’s not forget the chocolate!

With the ocean wind blowing in our faces, here I am with my Beloved (and his coffee drink!) 🙂

And my squinty-eyed and sunburned boys. Seth on the left and Noah on the right.

Many times we feel guilty when we stop and rest, but my encouragement to you would be to emulate your Savior (especially if you have a boat!) If there’s no boat parked at your house, then perhaps a simple walk around the neighborhood by yourself might just rejuvenate you, (or you can always lock yourself in the bathroom!) 🙂 I’ve been known to do that when my boys were young.

Whether it’s a mental rest or a physical one, our human bodies need it. When we take a much needed break from it all, we become re-engerized so we can continue on steadfastly in our Christian journey, whether our role is that of a wife, mother, friend, sister, employee, etc. Otherwise if we don’t take a break we’ll just become exhausted, which can quickly pave way to the road of bitterness.