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Editors note: This is part of the devotional I had with the Lord this morning of July 26, 05 that I wanted to share with you all! If the questions or statements can be used as Bible study guides or discussion questions feel free to use them.

Quiet Times (Psalm 56, Proverbs 26, and Mark 6:31-32)

"But when I am afraid, I will put my confidence in you. Yes, I will trust the promises of God. And since I am trusting him, what can mere man do to me?" (Psalm 56:3-4, TLB)

"Flattery is a form of hatred and wounds cruelly."(Proverbs 26:28, TLB)

^“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.’ So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.” (Mark 6:31-32, NIV)

Observations:

I asked myself what is the cause-effect relationship we see here.
Because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, the result was Jesus told his disciples 3 things.

I asked myself what were the 3 things Jesus told his disciples.

Come with me by yourselves.
Come to a quiet place.
Get some rest.

Interpretation:

I asked myself the significance of Jesus’ statements.

I found it very significant because it showed me how much Jesus cared for the disciples he called, sent, and gave authority to do His works. Jesus did not want them to be so ministry-oriented that they did not take care of themselves. I am reminded that Jesus gave those commands to the disciples while they were sharing all they had done and taught as they were surrounded by people that were coming and going. Jesus wanted them to have a chance to eat and take care of themselves.

Maybe they wanted to continue to share with Jesus what all happened when they were on a mission trip but Jesus wanted to take them away from the crowds until they had a chance to eat. So, Jesus calls them to a quiet place. It was not enough that they just eat but Jesus wanted them to get rest too. This is so awesome that Jesus cares for their well being and does not want them to be so ministry-oriented that they do not take care of themselves. Also, Jesus wanted to spend time alone with them. That is so cool!

The disciples obeyed and all of them went away in a boat to a solitary place.

Implications:

I saw important implications for my own life. I learned how much Jesus cares for my own physical well-being too. No matter how much time is spent in ministry ministering to others, Jesus wants me to take time to eat and get rest. More than anything, I know Jesus wants to spend time alone with me too. I need to make time to eat, get rest, and spend solitary time with Jesus.

Jesus did not want the disciples to get burned out nor does he want me to get burned out. Sadly, few years ago, I did not listen though! I should have heeded the commands Jesus gave to his disciples after they spent time doing ministry. At least, they listened and had solitary time with Jesus in the boat away from everything. That gave them rest on the boat while they were traveling.

I recall when I was doing campus ministry for 40-80 hrs/week on campus. I would leave home at 8:00 a.m. and would come back home at 12:00 Midnight most days. I wanted to minister to every student I could. Eventually, I got burned out and sick too. Even when Jesus calls us to something, He wants us to take care of ourselves and be wise with what He has called us to. I was not wise. Ministry was a good thing I was doing but anything good too done in disobedience can neutralize the effect. The disobedience on my part was not taking adequate time to eat, to rest, and spend enough solitary time with Jesus where I listen to Him and do what He wants me to do in my life.

One time I became so sick that I had to be in bed for 96 consecutive hours. It was a blessing in disguise because I was forced to take care of myself. The time was spent getting lots of rest, in prayer, and eventually building my immune system up again. I am reminded of a Bible verse that Jesus still brings to my mind to apply in my life.

“Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves.” (Psalm 127:1-2, NIV)

This verse showed me that even in ministry without the Lord’s help my toiling would be in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the ministry, all my work will be in vain because it is done apart from the Lord.

This verse specifically talks about toiling for food to eat but for it applied to ministry too. Lord wanted me to get sleep and take care of myself without be so much ministry oriented. Lord knew what I was doing was not right because other areas of my life were affected too. Since I went my own way, there were consequences to pay for my own good.

Eventually, I was forced to take a Sabbatical from ministry I was doing on campus. Because I was so passionate about reaching students with the love of Christ, I did not listen when those the Lord placed in authority over me wanted me to take rest and cut down on my hours in ministry. That affected my fundraising too because I was not doing it! So, I was placed on Sabbatical. It was a long Sabbatical too and it did help me so much.

After the Sabbatical things were not the same anymore but the Lord opened other doors for me. I still do ministry through different means and have been eating well (sometimes too well that I have to tell my body, ‘no more food for you today’), been getting a lot of rest, and most of all have been able to spend a lot of time with the Lord in solitariness which has been my favorite part. I have been getting a lot of rest. By God’s grace, I had never gotten seriously sick like I did that time when I was in bed for 96 hrs.

I will not say everything has been perfect for me because it has not been but Jesus has been there for me and has been getting me through and teaching me a lot as I rest in Him. There is still so much I need to pray and learn from my Jesus.

Just today, I learned what a mistake I made couple of days ago when a friend shared with me that she felt the Lord wanted her to spend a lot of time seeking Him in prayer and getting to know Him more and more. That is an excellent feeling to have knowing the importance of seeking the Lord more and more.

I should have told her if that is what she felt the Lord wanted her to do, then by all means that is what she should do and not let anyone else’s responses cloud her judgment about spending lots of time with the Lord. For a relationship with the Heavenly Father should be the utmost priority because when the relationship with our Heavenly Father is going well, everything else will fall into place and we will have that wisdom.

Instead, I gave her bad advice! I had the audacity to tell her it was ok to limit her time with the Lord so she can use that extra time for something else. If I am convicted of spending time with the Lord and it is more time than others spend, then by all means I am going to listen to the Lord and spend that time with Him, leaving the results in His Hands and finding rest in Him. I should have encouraged her to do the same! I am so glad that the Lord brought it to my attention in a gentle way. I tell people even if I say something, they should test it with Scripture because I am not perfect and am prone to give bad advice too if I do not consult the Lord for decisions. Sometimes I act before I think. tsk tsk tsk

Friend, I have shared with you Jesus’ emphasis for his disciples to rest in Him and take care of their selves. I have also shared my own personal experiences and how Jesus brought me to a place where I would be forced to take rest and most of all my favorite part has been to rest in Him.

I ask you now dear friend, where do you find rest.

Dear friend, people find rest in different places. Most people I know try to find their rest in relationships but I have found no rest is solid without first resting in the Lord and doing what He has called us to. Jesus loves us so much that He desires us to find rest in Him first.

It is not that Jesus does not want us to do other things such as ministry, pursuing relationships, academics, or career but when those things preoccupy us to the point that we lose our focus on the Lord then we have put ourselves in a precarious position. I know for I can speak from experience.

Nothing even ministry, relationships, careers, academics, etc are worth the time spent when our relationship with the Lord suffers. When the Lord is not at the forefront things may seem to go well for awhile but then BAM, we can see the effects. Lord, loves us so much and wants to offer us nothing less than the best. For that to happen, we need to take enough time to spend and rest with Jesus. He wants that for you friend. Yes, friend! He does!

You can find true rest only in the Lord as you find solitary time for Him, daily resting in Him. He will then bring everything else into perspective and you will have the wisdom to approach every situation, for you will be guided by the Author of Life. That is awesome to know! I know it is for me! Friend anything good taken too far can become hurtful in the long run even if it is ministry. It happened to me and I do not want any situation in your life to turn sour because you put so much time into it but less and less time finding rest in Jesus Christ so He can give you the rest you need! This way you can have wisdom and clarity of mind without making decisions in haste.

May you know as your rest in Jesus Christ everything else will fall into place in His way and timing! We should not want it any other way because Jesus loves us and we are destined to win in life with Jesus by our side. I want to share with you a song the Lord helped me write today called, “I need the rest”

I need the rest!
By Ramesh C. Reddy

Where do I go when I need the rest?
Where do I go when I need the best?
Into my Lord’s nest
Into my Savior’s nest

He is with me through every test
He is with me through every test
His power, in me Jesus can vest
His power, in me Jesus can vest

Where do I go when I need the rest?
Where do I go when I need the best?
Into my Lord’s nest
Into my Savior’s nest!
Amen!

“Resting Everyday, Savior Trust!” (R.E.S.T)/”Where do you find rest?”

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you so much for dying for my sin and coming back to life to save me. Thank you for teaching me through your Word and bringing my experiences to mind. Ministry is so important to you Lord but you also wanted your disciples to take care of themselves and eat. You also wanted them to get rest in a quiet place from everything. Thank you so much for providing a way for that to happen as you all traveled in a boat to have that time alone. Lord, thank you for teaching me that I need to find so much rest in you and you alone and not overdo anything and get burned out. Help me to always rest in you for every decision of my life whether it is in academia, careers, relationships with family and friends, etc. All decisions we make need your stamp of approval. I want your stamp of approval so I come to you for rest. All our needs you know and can give our needs to us in your timing. I thank you so much Jesus. I pray right now for the one who needs to find your closeness in their life. Fill them Oh Lord with your awesome presence and meet them where they are at. Let them know whatever they are feeling or going through that they are destined to win when they rest in you. Ah Lord God, nothing is too difficult for thee! Great and Awesome Lord, mighty in power are you! You are the Author of our Life! So please help us to spend the time you want us to spend with you without giving into the temptation of going our own way. Thank you so much Jesus! We need you Oh Lord, so please help us! I thank you for your help and for being there for us. Thank you for being our Lord and Personal Savior! Thank you that you have heard our prayers and answered us! In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

If you would like to invite Jesus Christ into your heart and make Him a daily part of your life, you can this very moment. You will never be alone. You can claim God's promises for you in the Bible and see them come true, before your eyes, in His wonderful timing. You don't have to wait for a special time to come to the Lord. You can come right now as you pray this prayer, meaning it in your heart.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, I am a sinner Lord. I am so sorry for my sins. I confess my sins to you. I confess the wrong things I have done and messed up my own life. I need you Lord right now and in the years to come. I have gone my own way and have not found what only you can give me. You alone have the words of Eternal Life. You alone love me unconditionally for who I am. I thank you Jesus. I accept you Jesus into my heart. Thanks Jesus for coming into my heart. Thanks for forgiving me of all my sins. Thanks for giving me a new identity in you. I acknowledge you as my Lord and Personal Savior as I believe in my heart that you died and came back to life to save me now and forever. I give myself to you and ask you to be in control of my life. Thank you Jesus through the days, we can do things together. Thanks for being my Lord and Personal Savior. Thank you Jesus you have heard my prayer and answered me. Thanks Jesus for changing me and helping me through life's storms and winds. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

(You can start your Christian adventure by reading the Gospel of John)

Friend you may feel something or may not feeling anything but do not go by your feelings. When you ask Jesus to come into your life, He will and does. He will take over from here as you depend on the Lord and let Him work in you and through you! This is exciting friend! May each one that came to know Jesus be filled with His Holy Spirit forever more and those that know Jesus come to know Him more and more! Amen!

Love in Christ,
Ramesh

P.S.. If you need someone to talk to, pray with, or have a Bible study, you can email me at reddy4HisGlory2004@yahoo.com and we can set up a time that is convenient for you! You can also call me at 412-720-4579

NEXT DEVOTIONAL:
Where do you find R.E.S.T? (July 26,05)