Life is busy and we are often faced with full days of busyness. Not to say that we aren’t accomplishing anything, but how do we endure the daily grind? On a personal level, I usually withdrawal to my home where it is often quiet (at least it was quiet before all four of my grandsons were here every day). So now, I look forward to my evening when the children are asleep. I need my daily time with my wife just to relax, talk to, and be with her in presence. Sometimes this is hard to arrange! But, it strengthens our relationship. Tomorrow (Thursday) the two of us are leaving for a three day weekend alone in Daytona just to unwind and spend time with each other……to RECHARGE. The point is, we must intentionally slow down and make the time to maintain our relationships, to recharge if you will.
Likewise, and more importantly, I need daily time alone with God, just to relax, talk and be with the Him. This recharges my batteries in a big, big way! Just like with my wife, lately it has been tough, I have been working long hours and she has too, taking care of our grandchildren. It’s been a grind. Jesus was often followed by crowds of people and the demands on His time and energy were great. How did He recharge? Maybe we can learn something here.
Mark 3:7-8 (TNIV)
7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. 8 When they heard all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon.
Like many of us, Jesus was rarely alone. he was engaged with His disciples (knowing that He had only a limited amount of time on this earth), He was followed by crowds of curious people seeking His wisdom, healing, or just curious to know if He was the promised Messiah. Also in the crowds were people seeking to trap Him, unfriendly to Him, seeking to build a case against Him.
Does this sound familiar? Our day is often bombarded by people who need our help (children, spouses, coworkers, friends), people that demand our time (bosses, children, spouses and friends), people that are seemingly unfriendly to us (unfortunately it seems that way sometimes, doesn’t it?)……throw in a few curious people on the sidelines and you have the life that many of us lead to some degree or another.
I always look to Jesus for the ultimate wisdom and have found that the ultimate wisdom is ultimate! LOL
Mark 1:35 (TNIV)
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.Mark 6:31 (TNIV)
Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”Mark 6:46 (TNIV)
After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.Mark 14:32 (TNIV)
They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
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sus recharged his batteries by getting away intentionally to spend time alone with the Father. This is a relational thing; we need to spend time alone with God, indeed Jesus, to recharge our batteries. Jesus withdrew to replenish His inner being through His relationship with the Father through prayer (simple conversation with God) as well as with select people close to Him (His disciples). It must have been just as hard for Jesus to get away from the constant pressures of the day as it is for us. It does take intentionality and discipline. However, it is important…or we simply start to burn out!
Pastor Phil always tells us that life is a marathon, not a race. How true that is. If we are racing to the end we burn out quickly but if we pace ourselves for the long haul….we emerge victorious!
The marathon of life takes time, openness to the deepening of relationships, growing ties with God, indeed Jesus, and God’s people. Jesus’ method works best….it’s the ultimate!
