Read Mark 6:30-52
There’s so much good stuff in this passage, but today, the Spirit led me to focus on the relational aspect of Jesus with His apostles, more than on the miracles.
“The apostles gathered together with Jesus,
and they reported to Him all that they had done and taught.
And He said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a secluded place
and rest a little while.’ (For there were many people coming and going,
and they did not even have time to eat.)”
~~Mark 6:30-32~~
In these verses, I see Jesus’ care for his apostles. They GATHERED TOGETHER with Jesus (this is in the passive voice–-the apostles were the recipients of the gathering together). The Greek word (synago) was used here to describe this action, and it means to lead together, collect, convene; to be gathered.
Jesus cares about the condition of people (both the internal and external). Jesus, being in human form, knew very well how the external pressures of life often depleted the strength of the internal. So He calls them to gather around check in with them.
I have to wonder, If they hadn’t obeyed the call to pause and come to Jesus, would they even have realized their “condition”? And then that makes me consider my own internal and external condition. Am I heeding the call from Jesus to pause and come?
The disciples share with Jesus what they had done and what they had taught, as well as sharing that they’d been too busy to even eat. After they shared with Him, He responded…
“Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.”
Word-studying this phrase revealed a lot. “COME AWAY” was (imperative). Jesus was saying, “come after me, come here” — follow My lead (His example was set in verse 46 when He went off onto a mountain to pray). “REST” was (imperative) (anapauo) to cause or permit one to cease from any movement or labor to recover and collect his strength. “A WHILE” (oligos) means puny (in extent, degree, number, duration, or value; a short time). Jesus wasn’t condoning just pulling up stakes and quitting when things get stressful or sap your strength. Instead, He was prescribing what He knew they really needed — a short rest.
Jesus had first hand knowledge of how at times ministering to people can really drain a person because He was in human form.
Pondering that thought made me ask myself if the disciples would have recognized, or better yet acknowledged, their depleted condition, if Jesus hadn’t gathered them together and talked with them.
It was JESUS who recognized their need for rest.
The disciples OBEYED (vs 32) and went away by boat to a secluded place by themselves (idios) privately and severally (DIC–severally: one at a time; each by itself; apart from others).
I see another facet of “by themselves” and “secluded place”. When we don’t purposefully carve out a time to stop — without people and without the noise of life — it is hard to hear Jesus. Jesus gathered them to Him and then advised them to get alone “by themselves”–each one alone.
Jesus gathered them — then Jesus sent to SOLITUDE.
PAUSE TO PONDER. Sitting in this passage makes me think of the times that, when I’ve been weary, I would turn on the TV, “so that I can relax and not have to think” — you know, just zone out for a bit. But I find the Spirit asking me if that is the wisest choice for me?
- Can I hear the Spirit, who is the Refresher, with the noise of the TV?
- Am I able to think and discern the true reason for my weariness when my body may be still but my mind isn’t? Oh my…
Jesus SAW the apostles’ emotional need. He SAW the crowd’s physical need for food. He also SAW the disciples straining in their obedience to go off by themselves by boat–He SAW when it was dark outside (3-6 am).
There are no limitations to Jesus’ ability to “SEE” me.
He is El Roi, the God who sees me.
Oh how I love Him!!