Rest a while

Times are tough. You can tell when little girls ask for the heads of great leaders to be handed to them on platters.

No, these aren't the headlines off any recent news article - at least none that I know of - it is just good solid biblical narrative. Mark 6:17-29 tells the story of the young woman, Herodias. She dances for the king her father, and so charming is her dance, that he offers her up to half of his kingdom. Delighted, she consults with her mother, who suggests she ask for the head of John the Baptist. She does this, asking for his head to be served to her on a platter. Immediately the act is done.

I could linger on this story for some time, for there is much to say about it. Today, however, I only want it to set the stage. Think times are hard these days? The harder the days, the more we need rest. Jesus knew it.

He had been calling in his disciples, teaching them, blessing them, sending them out to do ministry. In the midst of John's death, Jesus is working with his disciples. Immediately following Mark's telling of John's death, the story goes that the disciples gather around Jesus to share what they have been accomplishing. The culture is set - there is tension, there is work, there are needs, there are frustrations, there is murder. There is really not a moment to lose, not a moment to spare, no time to calm down. Pressure is mounting.

So, how does Jesus respond?

"Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while." Mark 6:31a

Huh? Totally not expecting that.

Then, the very next sentence says, "For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat." Mark 6:31b

Does that sound like your week? Minus only the head on the platter?

Just at the peak of climatic tension, right at the height of grief, with a to-do list a mile long - Jesus said that when you don't have time even to eat, you need to stop. Go away, by yourself, and rest.

He wasn't kidding.

The very next verse, Mark 6:32, says, "And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves."

The disciples, who ask a ton of questions and argue about all kinds of things, don't even lift a scriptural eyebrow. They set right off, apparently thankful for the rest.

Only, guess what? They don't get far. The story goes on to say that as they went, people recognized them, and clamored around them. They wanted compassion and teaching and who knows what all. In v. 35, the disciples come to Jesus as it grows late. They are so weary they ask Jesus to send the throngs away so they can all get something to eat.

And Jesus responds: "You give them something to eat." Mark 6:37

Okay, wait! I want to shout - "Hold on! You just said to go get some rest! But the demands never stop! Now it is my responsibility AGAIN to feed all these people!"

The disciples pretty much answer the same way. They argue that they don't have enough money or food. Jesus orders them to sit on the grass, he blesses what they have, they share what they have, they take up the broken pieces. Somehow, they feed five thousand - well, actually probably many more, as the Bible says "five thousand men." When you include the women and children that were surely there, the miracle increases exponentially.

By verse 45, I'm exhausted just reading about this experience. Can we get some rest NOW?

Yes. "Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, where he dismissed the crowd. After saying farewell to them, he went up on the mountain to pray." Mark 6:45-46

Even at the climax of despair, even at the afterglow of miracle, there is more to be done. There is always more to be done. The to-do list never gets cleaned up and marked off completely. And - no matter how often you try to get away, there will always, always, always be needs that keep you from rest. Even Jesus, however, marches off the boat and goes away alone, to pray, to rest, to recover. He knew that there were needs everywhere, and he also knew how important it was to regroup, and he modeled the behavior.

Which is all the more reason to take him seriously on this one - "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while."

Here is a hard lesson of life - in general, no one else will help you take care of yourself. They are too busy not taking care of themselves to help you take care of yourself. For the disciples, it comes in the very next section, starting with verse 47. They have set off in hopes of rest, but Jesus is absent - and they find themselves on a rocky boat, straining against an "adverse wind." They are terrified and exhausted. You know what happens next - Jesus walks on water to reach them, and says, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid." He gets in with them, and the wind ceased. Then, guess what? They hardly have time to moor the boat before there are new demands and new crowds.

A lot happens within Mark 6, powerful ebbs and flows of storyline tide. The focus seems to be that there is so much to be done, that we must care for ourselves or else drown in the endlessness.

Did you know that there are major studies being conducted on the wellness of clergy? Some studies now show that 30% or more of clergy suffer from depression. At least one study shows that clergy suffer from heart disease more than any other profession. It is easy to find many articles on what is being done to help ministers take better care of themselves. Other similar "helping professions" are bearing witness to similar trends. While I am not sure of the absolute accuracy of all the studies that I found, I do think they are a sign of a much larger problem. The church is modeling at large - with our professionals, our programs, and our pressures - that it is not so important to care for ourselves.

Wherever did we get that idea?

It's rampant. One article I scanned today had an interview with a clergy member who was encouraging Christians to "not get too caught up in… the current 'self-care' movement that reflects the priorities of a narcissistic society."

If that doesn't raise your awareness, I'm not sure what might.

We have a huge misunderstanding. We think that looking out for ourselves, caring for ourselves, is evil with a capital E. We also have a misunderstanding that by putting ourselves in the bottom of the heap, we are somehow avoiding narcissism.

Hal Runkel notes in ScreamFree Parenting, "But here is what is really selfish: sacrificing yourself for the sake of others while secretly needing them to validate and reciprocate your efforts to keep going. And narcissism is not focusing on yourself. Narcissism is needing others to focus on you… In contrast, true self-love, the 'I love me for your benefit' type of love, is always seeking to truly benefit others. The person who loves herself does not need others to recognize or even love her back in order to continue. Again, she takes care of herself so that others…don't have to. That is truly loving, both to yourself and others. That is truly being selfless… Escape is a purely selfish act… A retreat, on the other hand, is.. [an] intentional break from the action with the specific intent of regrouping and returning."

There is a fine line - a balance. It isn't about being self-absorbed; it is about self-care. It is not about escaping; it is about regrouping and returning. Still not convinced that your own self care matters?

Listen to Jesus - get away and rest. Take care. Heal. Because there is a lot to do. There are needs all around. Say yes to yourself so you can say yes to others. Jesus did it.

We also say God did it - worked for a long time, then rested awhile. Ever heard of a little concept called Sabbath?

I wanted to try it out. I ran a 5K this week. I had a rare and priceless massage. I exercised. I read. I ate well when I could. I slept. I spent time with some I love the best. And I worked like crazy. Or, I should say, because I did those first things, I was able to work like crazy. It was all just practice for next week. And the next week. And the next week. Because every single day it is a choice, a thousand choices, whether or not we take care.

There is always something to do, ALWAYS. But if you want to follow Jesus, really follow Jesus, you have got to get some rest.

Amen and amen.

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:29-30

When you abide in me
Then I'll abide in you
My words in your heart
Child believe
That when you seek my face
And make me your first love
Then all of the rest
Will be taken care of…
Don't worry what the future may hold
For I have overcome the world
And all these things I speak
Our solemn joy may be complete
When you abide
- Kristin Chenoweth, "When you Abide"

In Wisdom,
Brandi Calhoun Diamond