READ: MATTHEW 11:28-30; MARK 6:30-44; LUKE 5:16; 6:12-13

Have you ever heard the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand? If you’ve spent a lot of time in Sunday School or youth groups, familiar stories like this one can be easy to skim over. But when I reread Mark recently, I found my eyes drawn to the verses just before this miracle.

It’s fair to assume that Jesus and His twelve apostles are exhausted. They have been so busy they haven’t even had a chance to eat. So Jesus tells His disciples, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark 6:31).

It is a quiet place…a solitary place. The disciples call it remote, far enough from civilization that, when the crowds follow them because they want to see Jesus, the twelve urge Him to send the people away to the surrounding villages to find food. In a place like this, there was nothing to distract the apostles from Jesus.

Life can be exhausting. School and friends and chores eat up our time and energy, and before we know it our time alone with Jesus falls to the wayside. All of these things are important, but God calls us to take time away to rest in Him.

When was the last time you spent time alone with Jesus? He doesn’t call you to work until you fall over, even if your work is all good things. He calls His disciples away to a remote place to rest…and then to return to work with renewed energy. • Rebekah DeVall

• Can you think of a time you felt exhausted? Did you notice any ways God invited you to rest in that time?

• What is a quiet or solitary place you can visit to spend some time with Jesus? It might be a private spot in your home, a peaceful nook in the library, or somewhere outside. If you’re not sure where you could go, consider taking a moment to ask God to help you notice where He is providing a place for you.

So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. Mark 6:32 (NIV)