Background Story: In chapter 5 of the book of Mark, Jesus had just raised a dead girl to life and healed a demon possessed man. As Jesus’ fame spread, so did the crowds and the people with needs.

Read Mark 6:6-13, 30-32

Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. 7 Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. 8 These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 9 Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. 10 Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 11 And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 They went out and preached that people should repent. 13 They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31 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.” 32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. 

Big Idea: We need to get away with God in our busy lives.

One word to describe life…busy! A teen’s world can be crammed full of busy with school, work, sports, band, clubs, youth group, friends, and all sorts of commitments. The disciples found themselves busy doing God’s work teaching about Jesus, healing the sick, casting out demons, and reaching the broken. And even though they were busy doing good things, we see in verse 31 that they were worn out. Do you ever feel that way? I know I do.

What was Jesus’ response to their exhaustion? Did He scold them? Did He tell them to have more faith? No. He instructed them to, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Even the good things in life can drain us like a cup constantly being poured out. Reminds me of Bilbo-Baggins in Lord of the Rings when he said, “I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread.” When we find ourselves getting exhausted or being stretched too thin, it’s time to get away with Him to solitude. We see Jesus do this over and over again in the gospels. In Luke 5:16, we read that “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” My thought is…if Jesus needed time to be alone with God during His ministry on Earth…I’m pretty sure it’s essential for us as well.

No matter what stress, busyness, or circumstance you find yourself in today…. get away with Jesus, “by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” His presence will replenish your weary soul and strengthen you for the road ahead. Lamentations 3:22-25 says, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’ The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.”

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