"REST A WHILE!"

Mark 6:30-32                                            (ESV)
"30 The apostles returned to JESUS and told HIM all that they had done and taught.
31 And HE said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and "REST A WHILE". For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.
32 And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves."



Many times in my life I have become so busy that my life becomes increasingly stressful and there appeared to be no time for Heavenly things.  The disciples had begun experiencing just a glimpse of success and were explaining to JESUS "all they had done and taught"!  JESUS may have seen that they were getting caught up in the vortex of "this world" and HE instructed them to "Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and "REST A WHILE".

Was it out of concern for their physical well being that JESUS encouraged the disciples to "REST A WHILE"?  Or maybe it was to allow them to calm down from the Spiritual and emotional high of teaching the masses that their focus wasn't where it needed to be?  Keep in mind, they wanted to tell GOD in the flesh "all that THEY HAD done and taught"!  It might be the disciples focus had begun drifting away from THE MESSAGE?  It might be as they were getting tired and hungry they began to see things from an earthly perspective and about what THEY HAD DONE??

Romans 12:2 says "Do not be conformed to THIS WORLD, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of GOD, what is good and acceptable and perfect."  THIS WORLD has a corrosive effect on our minds.  Unless we remain sharp in THE WORD and allow HIM to remove the corrosive materials from our minds, we may be asking for THIS WORLD to begin eating away at our relationship with HIM and the Work HE is doing in our lives?

Could it be JESUS saw this as being a potential problem for the disciples?  Is there a possibility that JESUS helped them avoid the corrosive effects of selfish desires by having them "REST A WHILE"?  Recently while reading a devotional these words were written "We must be intentional about making time to rest in JESUS. Let the phone ring, the chores can wait, and social media could use a break. Those things are not eternal. JESUS is eternal. Let us make the effort to sit at HIS feet and enjoy HIM rather than miss HIM like Martha did because she was fussing over the dishes in Luke 10:38-42.  Isaiah 55:6 says, "Seek the LORD while HE may be found; call upon HIM while he is near."  We may need to "REST A WHILE" and get our lives refocused??