KENDRA KAMMER|GUEST

Summer is here, as my school-aged kids will eagerly tell you. With their excitement comes a nostalgia for the freedom of summer. Popsicles, parades, and beach days with just a little sunburn. Picnics, lemonade on the porch, and family vacations. This summer my excitement is not unwarranted: our family is going to take a dream vacation! This is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, the ultimate heaven-on-earth experience!

Or is it?

Because I broke my ankle and I wonder how I’ll hobble around on our vacation. Then our flight got cancelled, and that led to five hours of phone calls with the airlines. And let’s be honest, how well can I expect us all to get along as we tour the sights?

When my expectations of glory on earth are dashed, it’s as though God is tapping my shoulder and saying, “Are you placing your hopes on this? I’m sitting right here!” And this has been the attitude adjustment I so desperately needed.

This is an incredibly busy time for me, and I expect it is for you, too. Our family responsibilities ramp up with extra concerts, sports banquets, and the like, while church and ministry responsibilities gear up with the changing season as well. We feel exhausted, needy, and maybe even burned out. It’s time for us to find a way to rest…but how?

We Need Rest

Jesus is familiar with this mortal need for rest. As He and His disciples ministered around Galilee, they often came to the end of their own strength. One story in particular stands out to me. In Mark 6:30-32 we are told a quick but powerful story:

“The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves.”

The disciples were exhausted. They hadn’t even had a chance to eat as they served the people. (Sound familiar?) Jesus saw their need, honored it, and called them to join Him to be refreshed.

“Come…”

This was Jesus’s beautiful invitation to join Him for true soul rest. It will be tempting to look to things this world offers to find rest. Maybe you also seek rest in vacation, like I do, or perhaps you have another go-to, counterfeit type of rest. But true rest comes from our Lord, who gives us rest deep in our souls.

“…away…”

Sometimes the rest we need is the rest of getting away. We may need to get away from the dirty dishes or the computer alerts. The coffee shop on the corner might not even be “away” enough, especially if that’s where every friend and neighbor goes as well. Where can you go to spend time with God and seek renewal?

“…by yourselves…”

The disciples found rest together. I believe there is a time and place to seek God in solitude; but let’s not forget the beauty of seeking refreshment with a beloved Gospel friend. What friend with a calming presence could you invite to rest with you?

“…to a desolate place…”

After a particularly grueling day of serving, Jesus encouraged the disciples to find a desolate, or quiet place to rest. For us to follow this example in our connected, digital age, the instruction goes beyond finding a quiet place. We will need to find a way to silence the clamor of our devices. Computers and mobile phones demand our attention with their near-constant notifications. True rest will require setting the devices aside with notifications turned off or leaving them in the car.

I have a friend who encourages us to seek rest in what she calls “analog hobbies,” such as walking without headphones, gardening, baking, or puzzles. Do you have an analog hobby that can help you create a calm moment in your day?

“…and rest a while.”

If you read on to verse 33, you’ll discover that Jesus and His disciples were soon found by eager followers who “got there ahead of them.” Perhaps their only real rest came during the boat ride across the Sea of Galilee.

Our rest often feels that way, too. Sometimes we grab it in five-minute increments. Sometimes a long-awaited day off is interrupted. And even when everything goes according to plan, the refreshment never lasts as long as we’d like. Before long, we’re tired again.

God made us that way. In His goodness, He created us with a need that can only be fully satisfied in Him. That neediness invites us to return to Him daily.

In a few weeks, I’ll head out on that dream vacation with my family. I hope my ankle cooperates, the flights go smoothly, and we make memories we’ll cherish for years to come. But eventually we’ll come home, unpack our suitcases, and return to ordinary life.

The good news is that Jesus offers something better than a temporary escape. Vacations end. Summer fades. But Christ remains. In every season, His invitation is the same: “Come away…and rest a while.”

Photo by Anastasiia Nelen on Unsplash