Sometimes, it’s too much. Everyone needs a time out, a withdraw from work, people, even the big-purpose parts that keep a person out there, acting, in front. If anyone required it now, it was Jesus. His best friend John the Baptist had been murdered for no good reason, he wasn’t on the best of terms with his family, and with fame came all too constant demands for whatever ails people. The Big Twelve had just returned from their own successful preaching/healing tours, so everyone was ready for a retreat to recharge. Cruising on the lake seemed a good idea.

Scrapped Plans

Can you believe it? Like first-century paparazzi, people stalked their wake. There they were again, hurting and hungry in body and soul. As he disembarked, Jesus recognized in these the lostness they lived, wandering sheep with no shepherd to care, lead, protect. Sympathy, mercy, compassionate love met them on the shore in their only, may even their last hope. He gave them his best teaching, a way of explaining life for purpose beyond the daily grind to survive.

Not sure if this is good. So when you’re bone tired, wasted in mind and body, keep at it anyway? Let people just keep taking and taking and never mind your own needs. People have heart attacks from this kind of lifestyle. Doesn’t Jesus recognize healthy boundaries? You know like they say on airplanes, cover your face with the oxygen mask first before helping someone else. Besides, keeping Sabbath is a commandment. But Sabbath rest doesn’t apply when people need you? No wonder Jesus was always getting into trouble over this one.

No Rest for the Weary

So you try again. If you do a quick scan of the chapter, there’s the matter of feeding 5000 people, and then Jesus ditches the disciples as he sends them out on the lake again while he escapes into the hills to pray alone. That was a good idea, until he got caught walking on the water and scares the disciples nearly to death. Funny in an almost sad way, but they still had difficulty every time Jesus appeared in an extraordinary fashion. Do all you want for others, but often it’s those closest to you who need the most help. Exhausting.

At any rate, once they land on the other side of the lake, guess what. More crowds rushed in with sick people on woven mats as gurneys needed healing. Many begged to at least touch the fringe of his robe because even with that they knew his restorative power. The point is Jesus was there for them, being who they needed in the way they needed him.

So What You’re Saying Is…

Jesus knows what it’s like to be overworked, having personal needs disregarded over the needs of another. Think it shouldn’t happen? Any mother nursing an infant knows what it’s like to be on demand for the survival of the helpless. Jesus knows what it’s like to be misunderstood. Try teaching the mentally challenged how to tie shoelaces. You patiently do it again and again and again until your mind numbs. Then again. Jesus should have gotten a break once in a while. So should have those who worked long shifts in hospital covid wards, but for months on end they came back with little rest.

The Next Right Thing

The life we know is the life Jesus lived. Love spins on this kind of commitment when needed. It’s his kind of compassion that finds its rest in doing the next right thing, not because we feel like it, even really feel up to it. You do it because the world will be a better place for it, your world will be better somehow for it. When you finally lay your head down, you’ll know the best kind of rest.

Jesus did get to rest finally in the end.

It lasted three days, but it was enough for what he came to do.

Mark 6:30-34, 53-56