Why You Need to Get Some Rest

Daily Devotional – Saturday, January 23, 2021

Then … He said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Mark 6:31 (NIV)

Your body is fearfully and wonderfully made. It operates in a cycle that requires you to work and to rest. God, the Creator, gave us the day for working. He also gave us the night for resting. He went ahead to give us one full day during which we must rest.

In other words, God wants you not only to work but also to rest. That is why your body sometimes goes to sleep when you don’t want to sleep. There are also days when your body just switches off. You have overworked it and it goes on ‘strike’.

Jesus was a worker. We know from scriptures that He was a carpenter. When the time came for His ministry to begin, He worked even harder in preaching the Gospel. In John 5:17, He said, “My Father is always working, and so am I.”

In Mark 6, the disciples are tired and stressed. They have been serving others the whole day. They are mourning John the Baptist. Christ has compassion on them. He calls them to a private place, away from the crowd. He wants them to rest, bodily and mentally.

Have you had a tough week? Do you feel physically and mentally exhausted? Are you worried that your body doesn’t want to work yet you have a lot to do? Do you feel like just getting into bed and sleeping? Don’t feel guilty. It’s natural.

Follow Christ’s advice to His disciples, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Set aside the work you do for a living.  You may decide to spend time in worship. Perhaps you want to remain indoors. Spending time with your loved ones may also be an option.

Whatever you do, make sure you rest. This will rejuvenate you and give you the strength you need for the coming week.

Prayer

Father, both work and rest are blessings from you. Teach me how to rest so that when I work, I will give you my best. Amen.