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A Quiet Place To Rest

Spend time with God. Alone. Jesus did. Devotion at KarenEhman.com

“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 6:31 (NIV)

“I want honey in my tea! And a lemon slice too! Oh, and can I use Great-Grandma’s teacup, pretty please? I’ll be careful,” my then five-year-old daughter sweetly asked as we were enjoying our afternoon mother-daughter ritual.

Each day while her two baby brothers napped, we pulled out china teacups and saucers from my collection and sipped herbal tea while I read a book out loud to her.

This afternoon she was asking permission to use an heirloom piece that had been passed down through four generations in my mother’s family. While I knew my little girl would be careful with the antique pink and white china cradled in her little hands, something else made me deny her request. I tried explaining it to her.

“Sweetheart, I know you’ll be careful, but we can’t have hot tea in that cup. It has cracks. See?”

I showed her a few tiny, hairline fractures on the side near the handle. It wasn’t cracked all the way through and could actually still hold water without leaking. However, if hot liquid were to be poured into it, the crack would give way, causing the petite cup to shatter. (Been there. Broke that!)

There was just no way for the fractured piece to withstand the stress of a steaming beverage.

Our emotional lives are much the same.

When we don’t allow time to rest and regroup from the stresses of life, we allow cracks in our spirit that make us emotionally and spiritually fragile. We keep going at break-neck speeds, rarely slowing down long enough to be refreshed.

When we do not allow time to rest, cracks in our spirit can leave us emotionally and spiritually fragile. Devotion at KarenEhman.com

Mark 6:31 highlights the fact that even Jesus Himself found it important to get away for a while, to slow down and cease activity. The Bible records this event, “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’” (NIV).

Jesus urged His disciples to get to a quiet place. In doing so they would find rest. Being alone and quiet would restore their weary spirits.

For many of us, the beginning of the school year is a whirlwind of activity. In our fast-paced society, we rarely are intentional to create a quiet place and spend time resting. As a result, stress chisels away, creating tiny cracks that although barely visible, could cause us to shatter under the go-go-go pressures of everyday life.

Let’s purpose to take time to slow down, get away, and rest. To find solitude in a hushed place alone with our Savior, even if only for an hour.

If we make time to answer Jesus’ call to go away with Him to a quiet place, we can crack-proof our spirits, making them strong and rendering us ready to handle life. A few quiet moments spent with Him can help make us strong enough to fulfill God’s assignments for us this school year.

Dear Lord, help me intentionally carve out time to reconnect with You in a quiet spot. I know You are waiting. I want to seek Your face and find true rest. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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2 Comments

  1. Thank you so much for this post. It so spoke to me heart today. Our family is going through some tremendous trials lately and even through the trials I have felt peace because I have grown closer with Christ. For some reason today I did get up really early not because I was stressed but because I wanted to be alone with Jesus for a bit longer than normal. I was doing ok and then I began to feel down and discouraged. I came home from teaching kindergarteners and felt like with all the stress of the trials and a long day teaching, I was done and felt like I was in a melt down mode. Thanks for sharing these words which encourage me to take more time for me. I am generally the strong one but I think I also need some time for me. Blessings to you and your family!

  2. You brought me to tears today. This morning I felt like it was a “true” Monday. After a week of Mondays and a busy weekend of finishing my “to-do list” that didn’t get completed during the week, I just didn’t want to face the day much less the week ahead! Then I read what you wrote and realized I needed to rest and mend my cracked soul today. This morning I took little time for myself and even less for my God. All I have been asking myself is “what was I thinking!!!” Tonight I am sitting sometime to reconnect with me and my God, before I forget who either of us are!! Thank you for waking me up and realizing that life is more , I am more and definitely GOD is much more than the things that have taken my time and energy lately.

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