he said to them, “Come away with me by
yourselves and get some rest.
Mark 6:31 (NIV)
This
verse comes in the middle of a passage where the apostles had reported to Jesus
about “all they had done and taught.”
The twelve were so crowded by people they did not have a
chance to eat. Therefore, Jesus encouraged them to go to “deserted place and
rest awhile” (NKJV)
Each believer needs rest, especially after a harrowing event
in their lives. A family funeral, a time of surgery, a time of great
excitement, during an illness.
The LORD Jesus often went to Gethsemane by himself to
commune with His Father. God rested from his work of creation on the seventh
day.
In our American culture in the past, there were what is
referred to as ‘Blue Laws’. No unnecessary businesses were open on Sunday.
People knew this; they made sure they had gasoline in their cars and food in
the house.
A corner grocery store in our neighborhood was open for a
few hours on Sunday. It was owned and run by a family. As I remember, they only
had maybe one or two employees over the years.
Things seemed simpler when we obeyed the words of God about
resting on the Sabbath.
The author of one of the blogs I used to follow stated repeatedly
that she took Sunday as a Cyber Sabbath. I did it for a while, but I got out of
the habit. I believe I need to practice it again.
I remember Blue Laws in the town in Wisconsin I grew up in, where you could not grocery shop on Sundays. We always went to church and didn't mind not buying groceries on Sundays. I find I need more rest these days; I like being out and about but Rest in prayer and time with Jesus is nourishing to me.
ReplyDeleteTerra: I was usually sent down to the grocery store on Sunday mornings to purchase the Indianapolis Sunday Star. During the oil embargo of the 1970s, my mother reminded me of the gas stations having to be closed on Sundays in the 1950s. Rest is important to us; we don't realize it when we are young. As we get older, we learn that we actually do need eight hours of sleep each night. Peace and blessings to you and yours.
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