Mark 6:31 (NLT) Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.”

The more I study the life of Jesus, the more I realize just how many of the things He did that were done to set an example for us. For instance, Jesus went to John the Baptist to be baptized. John’s baptism was for forgiveness of sin, yet Jesus had never sinned. Jesus didn’t need to be baptized, Jesus knew that He should be baptized to set a good example for us.

Then Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. I’m sure there were many reasons that God allowed this to happen, but I think a big one was to teach us how to handle temptation when we are faced with it. Otherwise, why would Jesus have told the story to His disciples who then recorded it for us to read later?

I think another example that Jesus lived out for us in His daily ministry is one that we often forget. He lived out the need for rest and alone time with God.

Mark 1:32-37 (NIV) 32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”

Jesus spent an evening healing the sick and driving out demons. I would think he would be very tired and he probably was, but more important to him was time spent with his Father. He needed to recharge, spiritually. One on one time with God became the foundation of his ministry. Here is another example:

Luke 5:15-16: 15 But despite Jesus’ instructions, the report of his power spread even faster, and vast crowds came to hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer. (NLT)

If you read previously in this chapter of Luke, you will see that this was a busy day! Jesus spent the morning preaching along the Sea of Galilee. Then He took Peter out so that Peter could catch some fish, called His first disciples, and healed a man with leprosy. He spent the day acting out His faith (preaching, teaching, healing, doing miracles) but then He took time to be quiet and alone with God.

Luke 6:12-13 12One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night. 13 At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles. (NLT)

Over and over again, we see Jesus go without sleep or even leave the people for a while to spend time alone with God. These moments with His Father seemed to recharge Him like no nap or good night’s sleep ever could. Oh, that I could learn this lesson.

In today’s church the common statistic is that 20% of the people do 80% of the work. If those people are anything like me, they also have more than one job in the church where they serve. Unfortunately, the result is often that we are so busy getting things done for the church that we don’t take time to rest. We’ve decided that working for Jesus is much more important than resting in Jesus.

There have been so many times when I was afraid to miss a Sunday or an event, etc because this is my ministry and no one can do it the way I do. They need me. I should be there. I have felt guilty so many times for being absent or even sick and missing something. And I don’t think I am wrong, other people will not do things exactly the way I would do them. The part that I forget is: that is ok.

I have a very honest friend who reminds me that the Holy Spirit can use anyone and He uses every person differently. If I am truly joining the Lord in His work then I must remember that I am not the essential one in the partnership, He is. He will use any vessel He chooses, willing or unwilling to accomplish His purposes. Sometimes I need this humbling reminder that it isn’t about me, it’s all about Him. I can leave and God will find another willing vessel to get His message across whether it is in Sunday School, Preschool choir, or through music.

Which brings me back to my point. Jesus is the essential one in all of these equations and yet He often took time and opportunity to get away. He left people who were in need to retreat into the mountains and be alone with God. Without saying a word, I believe that Jesus is teaching us the very important principle that we must take care of ourselves first in order to be effective ministers for Him. If I fill my days up with doing things, things get done. If I forget to take time to BE, then my attitude, my effectiveness, even my efficiency is compromised.

In the last few years, I have developed a love of gardening. My mother-in-law and her siblings are thrilled! They feel like in this area they have had a positive effect on me. I am truly part of their family now because I have joined in the family pastime. At my house, we have flowers in the front yard and then in the back we have an herb garden in one place and a fruit/vegetable garden in another. I find tending the garden to be both productive because I get things from my garden that I can eat or cook with and relaxing because this is quiet time surrounded by God’s creation. I often think about God as I’m working in the garden.

If we use the analogy that our relationship with God is like a garden (which, by the way, is one of my favorite analogies), then we can see that periodic weeding of the garden is necessary in order to maintain its beauty and its productivity. If I never take the time to weed the garden, the pretty flowers will be choked out by weeds. The garden will become overgrown and ugly. I won’t have herbs or fruits or vegetables because they can’t thrive in an environment where they are competing with weeds.

If I never take the time to BE with God, I still have a garden, (my relationship with Him never goes away) but it becomes full of weeds and is not very pretty to look at. The weeds (things that interfere with my relationship to God), if allowed to take over, will choke out the beneficial plants that I want to thrive there. When I do take the time to be with God, my garden is weeded, God points out things to me that aren’t right; places where I need to ask or offer forgiveness; attitudes that don’t glorify Him and shows me how to take care of them. He also reveals Himself to me in a deeper more intimate way allowing my faith and my trust to grow.

If I don’t take time to Be with God, I can still work for His kingdom, but I will tend to get frustrated, upset, or even burned out because I haven’t gone back to the one who is the sustainer of all things. I also can’t pass along what I’m learning because I’m not really learning very much. God can’t get a word in edgewise with all of my busy-ness.

By His actions, Jesus is showing us the value of resting in Him. He wants us to take time to relax and enjoy Him, just like we spend time relaxing and enjoying our friends. And when it is time to work, He promises to help us:

Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV) 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Jesus didn’t just promise to strengthen us and send us on our way. He’s helping to shoulder the burden with us. He is, after all, on the other side of the yoke and I think that since my burden is light, He is probably carrying most of the weight. However, this only works if I go to Him first.

I love that we can look at the life of Jesus and see not only in the things He said, but also in how He lived, important things about developing a close relationship with God. Jesus went to God for rest. Jesus offers us rest. I want to be more deliberate about taking Him up on that offer. What about you?

**Author’s note: all emphasis in scripture passages is mine.