This post is written to link with Five Minute Friday, where we write spontaneously for five minutes on a one-word prompt.  The prompt this week is TIRED.

In Mark 6, Jesus sent His twelve disciples out two by two for an intense time of ministry. Proclaiming the gospel and calling many to repentance, healing the sick and casting out demons, all a part of what they were doing, had left them depleted. The verses below stood out to me when I read this passage today.

“The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” Mark‬ ‭6:30-31a‬ ‭ESV‬‬

When they returned from this time of ministry, it seems to me that this would have been a great time for Jesus to teach these men about ministry. But this wasn’t what Jesus did. Since I’ve been learning about the importance of REST, my Word of the Year for 2018, Jesus’ response to His followers stood out to me, “Comeaway by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.”

It’s easy to understand that a day of hard physical labor is exhausting. But I’m learning that there are many ways to be TIRED. When we give out, there needs to be a time of replenishing. Of building back up our reserves. To ignore this truth is unwise. Sometimes the tiredness is physical, other times it’s emotional or mental or even spiritual. Whatever form our tiredness takes, it’s time to get away from the daily grind of life and rest awhile. Jesus understood this, and we need to also.

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