A Quiet Place
Jennifer Cole
“...Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:31, NIV
Christmas is only a few days away now! It’s likely your life feels super busy right now...between family gatherings, gift shopping & wrapping, year-end activities at work and just the continuance of an already-full schedule...so today let’s get real -- do you feel like you need a break? You have permission. Jesus said so in Mark 6:31! In fact, let’s dig a bit deeper into some of the specific words we see in that verse:
Come with me: Jesus wants us to be with Him. He’s safe. He’s comfortable to be with. He draws us to Him. Can you hear the Lord calling your name today? He says, “Come with me” to you!
By yourselves: We need time alone with the Lord. We need to be by ourselves with Him. There is a time to be with other people, to be engaged in corporate worship with the whole church family, but nothing can replace time with the Lord “by yourself.” Jesus wants our undivided attention because He has things He would like to share with us when we’re focused on Him wholeheartedly.
To a quiet place: Do you have a quiet place? Your car? A closet? The shower? Where do you go to be quiet with the Lord? Where can you go and be undistracted? In a quiet place, we can hear the Lord’s still small voice. We can discern the things He is saying and the ways He is leading.
Get some rest: God cares about our rest. He knows we need to take a break. We need time to be refreshed, refueled. Time to sleep. Time to listen. Time to think. We need time to not be “on.”
The purpose of rest is to refuel -- physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Some of our most creative, anointed, innovative, energized seasons come out of a time of rest. No one can operate at the speed of life on an empty tank. We must get rest in order to be refreshed. Resting refreshes and re-energizes us, so that we can continue to move forward in His purpose for our lives with His strength. Do you need to get some rest?
Say This: “Father, I hear Your voice. Jesus, I hear You drawing me to come with You to a quiet place to get some rest. I ask You to give me the wisdom I need on how, when and where to do this very thing each day, each week, each month and each year, for the rest of my life. Lord, give me ears to hear, eyes to see and a heart to receive everything You would say to me in that place of rest. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”