This Labor Day weekend has been a pretty sedentary weekend as I have either been in the reclining chair or on the couch since Friday with some sort of cold,infection, or virus. Being a person that likes to be busy, I have been thinking of this long weekend as useless and a waste. But in some ways, I am once again reminded of the importance of down time.
I have been able to read a lot and reflect on my reading. In fact I have done a lot of reflecting on a particular reading in Mark, chapter 6. It is filled with good food for thought for the busy. The Book of Mark is a pretty quick read. The author, Mark, doesn't waste time making his points about who Jesus is. He does this by testifying to the wonderful and miraculous works of Jesus. Eleven times Mark uses the word "immediately." That word appears twice in chapter 6.
Throughout the gospel of Mark, Jesus is presented as the tireless servant both of God and to man. His prayer time is interrupted. Sometimes he didn't get to eat. It seemed that he was always yielding to the beckoning calls of needs surrounding him. His family thought he was unbalanced. He was constantly pursued, even when seeking rest. There was just no end to the seeming need.
This all brings me back to Mark 6. Servant ministry is draining: spiritually, emotionally, and physically.
Verses 1-6: Jesus experiences rejection by his own. We all want acceptance. There is an emotional toll when our giftings, talents, and abilities are not given opportunity to blossom.
Verses 7-13, 30-44: The needs of the people are never ending. The excitement and satisfaction of doing ministry and being a part of the spectacular is compelling. We only want to do more and help more. Jesus wanted the disciples to experience a rest, a quiet, a time of reflection and renewing. But, neither the disciples nor Jesus, were able to do so in that moment of time. They were faced with a hungry crowd. Twelve disciples end up distributing and serving 5 loaves and 2 fishes to 50-100 groups of people (5,000 men in all) with twelve baskets of leftovers having been gathered up afterward. we don't read if they had opportunity to partake of that food. There is a spiritual toll to be paid where there is no renewing.
Verses 45-52: Jesus did not allow the disciples any time to relish in or comprehend the miraculous feeding of the multitude. Instead we read, "Immediately Jesus made his disciples get in the boat and go ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd." Jesus then went up a mountain to pray. A storm came up. We read that the disciples were "straining at the oars." So far the disciples had experienced emotional and spiritual exhaustion. Now we see them experiencing the third...physical. Maybe if they had had time to eat, they would not have been straining at the oars. Yes, there is a physical toll to being a servant when there is not proper rest. But we read that Jesus saw them from the mountain, he came to them walking on water, and "immediately" spoke to them.
Verses 53-56: The work of a servant is never ending.
All my down time and inactivity has been good for me. Without this cold, flu, virus, or whatever it is, I seriously doubt that I would have received the inner renewal that has been needed.
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