Mark chapter 6 runs the full range of emotions. It begins with Jesus being rejected by those He grew up with, causing Him to marvel at the depth of their unbelief. Their rejection leads Him to travel from village to village, teaching and preaching. Some accepted, some did not. Perhaps, preparing the disciples for their future ministry, Jesus told them that if they encountered this level of rejection, they should shake the dust off their feet and move on.

It was such a busy time that when you get to verse 31, if I may paraphrase, Jesus said to the disciples, “Let’s go somewhere quiet, where we can rest. It’s become so hectic, we can’t even eat in peace.”

We seem to be living in a day when people are so busy that they cannot enjoy life. It’s been several months, and I don’t remember who said it, but they were making fun of people who used to sit in their rocking chairs on the front porch, drinking tea and talking to all the neighbors who walked by. In my mind, I was thinking, those were good days; days when people could rest and talk with friends.

The people in Mark 6 had many needs and wanted to be around Jesus so much that He became tired. He felt the need to pull away, spend time in prayer, teach just His disciples, and rest. That’s a good pattern for us to follow: a quiet place, where we can hear the Lord speak to us, and where we can rest.