Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
February 19, 2023
Read Mark 6:30-34
30 The apostles returned to Jesus and told him everything they had done and taught. 31 Many people were coming and going, so there was no time to eat. He said to the apostles, “Come by yourselves to a secluded place and rest for a while.” 32 They departed in a boat by themselves for a deserted place. 33 Many people saw them leaving and recognized them, so they ran ahead from all the cities and arrived before them. 34 When Jesus arrived and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then he began to teach them many things.
Good Morning, Come unto Jesus and He will give you rest!
I remember a colleague who loved to brag about how little time they slept or even rested each day. He would work and work, but as his face began to show the toil of his labors, the quality of his work began to slip. Errors became visible in his typically top-notch work. Finally, at some point, he would “crash and burn”. After resting, he was able to return and work.
I love to stay busy with many different areas of interest. In my younger days, I would sometimes accept or take on more tasks that I could complete at a level of competency that I found acceptable. The first time that I had to go back and tell someone “no”, I can’t do this for you right now was very hard for me. I felt terrible for letting them down, but I also felt relieved that I could put that time into my other efforts.
The two most important things that I have learned over the years are that I can not function without rest and downtime and spending time talking and meditating with God. My downtime might be going for a walk, playing the piano, or sitting in a flower garden. I just need time to let go of my obligations. My time with God has taken many forms, but it is a special time that I protect because it is the foundation of everything else that I do. My God time gives me peace and joy, but it also gives me the strength that I need to serve others as I am led.
Resting can be broken down into three components. Physical rest can come from sleeping or sitting. Mental rest comes from “unplugging” from your responsibilities. Spiritual rest comes from “God Time”. Jesus says, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 Make time to find rest each day!
Loving God, Thank You for being with us. How silly we are! We are weary! We want to be energizer bunnies, but we fail to charge our batteries first. Help us accept your grace as we take time to rest. Thank you! In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: Learning to rest prepares me to serve God well.
Rest and Prepare! Pastor Liz