For anyone of us who has flown before, the image here should be familiar. When we aren’t busy tuning out the flight attendant giving us instructions for our own good, we hear familiar words about our seats being usable for floatation, that we are supposed to keep our seatbelts securely fastened when we’re in our seats, and that in the event of a change in cabin pressure, oxygen masks will drop from the ceiling. It’s this last event that we should consider for a moment. Part of the instructions we receive indicate that if something happens that causes these oxygen masks to drop, we are not supposed to jump in to helping everyone around us right away. First, we need to take care of ourselves, making sure we have what we need in order to be able to help those around us. Jesus shows us something similar by both His example and His instruction in chapter six of the gospel of Mark.
Mark 6 is a fascinating passage. It’s full of ups, downs, miracles, and even a flashback. However, this time when I read through the passage, something else caught my eye. In the middle of the business of ministry, Jesus not only models the need to break away, but He actively teaches His disciples the value of stepping away to rest. Toward the beginning of this chapter, Jesus pairs up the disciples and instructs them to go from place to place teaching the good news. Upon their return, as they are recounting all the work they have accomplished, Jesus says, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest awhile.” Why? “For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.” The apostles had accomplished the task set them by their master, and Jesus, seeing that their work had been done, recognized that they needed respite. A time to regroup, to share victories and defeats, and to reconnect with each other and the Lord was important, so much so that Jesus set getting away from it all as a priority. In other words, as the disciples came back from a significant ministry assignment, and were immediately thrust back into their normal ministry routines, Jesus instructed them to stop and take a break and regroup. We can only continue to pour into others if we occasionally take time to refill ourselves, or rather, be refilled.
The miracle of unexplainable provision is predicated upon instruction about the need to be refilled.
Part of what is interesting to me is that this story is the introduction to the feeding of the five thousand, one of the better known miracles of Jesus’s ministry – one of few events recorded in all four gospels. The miracle of unexplainable provision is predicated upon instruction about the need to be refilled. What a powerful miracle this is! And yet, as soon as the miracle is performed, Jesus returns to the need for breaking away to regroup.
“Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray.” Here in verses 45-46, Jesus returns to the matter at hand for his disciples – they need a break. By giving them the opportunity to go first, without him, Jesus accomplishes two tasks: He gives his disciples an opportunity to reflect and debrief about the tremendous miracle they had just seen among themselves, and Jesus gives Himself the opportunity to reconnect with His father and pray Himself. Thus, when he shows up, walking on the water a few verses later, He is ready to begin reassuring His disciples and preparing for the ministry opportunities that are waiting on the other shore.
As we go through this life, there will be no shortage of ministry opportunities. If we seek to be intentionally aware of what God is doing in our midst, we will see people with needs, church members grieving, activities to attend and many more happenings begging for our attention. However, none of this changes the fact that we must take time to be alone with Jesus. He is the one who gives true rest. He helps us to regroup, permits us to cast our cares upon Him, and invites us into His world for fellowship with Him as we worship through prayer, spending time in the Word, and simply praising Him. So be intentional about taking the time to rest in His presence. If you want to be usable to help others, you need your oxygen!