Psalm 19:7 “The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul.”

Are any of you sweet women out there in desperate need of rest? I ask because it seems our lives revolve around relentless schedules with to-do lists surpassing the hours in our day. “Time flies when you are having fun,” rings true, but I have determined time flies even on the stinky days. It was the writer of James who phrased this in a bit more civilized manner when he described life as a vapor, appearing for a little time, only to vanish away.

Jesus, in His humanity, was an expert on time-exhaustion. His earthly ministry was filled with fast paced obligations that left both His body and soul depleted. But Jesus’ deity knew the cure for physical and spiritual exhaustion: solitude with the Father. So, in Mark 6:31 when the disciples’ physical bodies needed to slow and their spiritual souls needed to refuel, Jesus instructed them. . .

              “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Jesus’ prescription for refueling your body and soul is to leave behind all the frantic comings and goings, find a quiet place, and invite Him into your stillness. There, far from the noise of the world, the voice of Jesus would be heard and sweet rest for body and soul received.

This exhaustion-cure is a hard pill for us to swallow. Distractions monopolize our moments. Spilled milk on the floor, the telemarketer on the phone, an empty refrigerator, and so much more, consume our day! Removing ourselves from chaos to seek quietness with Jesus is no easy task. More often than not, we allow the important things in life to be trumped by unanticipated emergencies.

King David, who was known for constant chaos, found refreshing, renewing, and restorative peace in God’s Word (Psalm 19), and so can we. A body, soul, and mind at rest with Christ allow us to stamp a godly perspective on any issue. Solitary time with our Savior refuels us and enables us to minister to others in crisis. Time alone in God’s Word sharpens our priorities, allowing us to focus on what is important while dealing with what is urgent.

Sisters, life-crises are here to stay. How we deal with them is our choice to make. Gratefully, Jesus shared the prescription: “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Father God, help us seek quiet time alone with You.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane