Come away … and rest

We all know that feeling. Life gets busy! Whether it’s work, kids, school, commitments, ministry, or — more likely than not — some combination of several or all of the above. 

Life. Gets. Busy. 

Many are the days when my best-laid plans to start my day in the Word devolve into yielding to the pull of the now, the immediate, the “but such-and-such has to get done!”

And while I may pride myself on my resulting productivity, inside, I know I’ve lost something by laying aside that which I claim to be the true purpose of my life. 

Now, there’s no inherent condemnation in being busy, and certainly there are times and seasons when life gets particularly chaotic. 

But it’s not for nothing that Jesus called his disciples to “Come away … and rest.” 

In Mark 6:31, we read, “Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he [Jesus] said to them, ‘Come with me by yourself to a quiet place and get some rest.’”

So much was happening that the disciples didn’t even have a chance to eat! I’m guessing you’ve been there. But what did Jesus do? He called them to come away … and rest. 

The word translated “come” is deute, which is an imperative form. It’s the same word translated “follow” in Matthew 4:19, where Jesus says to Peter and Andrew, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

One of the words translated “away” is idios, which means “pertaining to self, i.e. one’s own; by implication, private or separate.” 

And the word translated “rest” is anapauo, which means “to repose,” and “by implication, to refresh.”  This is the same word used in Matthew 11:28, where Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” 

Remember the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42? As Jesus was visiting with them, “Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.” In other words, she was busy!

Meanwhile, Mary “sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.” It didn’t take long for Martha’s busyness to turn into frustration at Mary’s rest. But when Martha asked Jesus to compel Mary to join her in her distractions, instead, Jesus simply said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Mary had chosen to step away from the distractions and listen at the feet of Jesus. She had chosen to come away and rest. And Jesus called this the “better” choice. 

Still today, Jesus calls us to make the better choice—to turn away from distractions and sit at His feet and listen. 

May we heed His call today to “come away … and rest.”