Mark 6.45-46
45 Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.
Everyone has their own flow to their life in the time of days, weeks or months. Early in ministry I decided that taking Monday off was not good for me. I began taking Fridays off at first. Simple reason was that the kids had Fridays off most weeks from school. The school ran longer days and mostly went Monday through Thursday. This way I was home when the kids were home. As the kids got older I switched to Saturdays off, which I still keep. It started as they were in high school and had sports tournaments most Saturdays. But it continued because it worked for the flow of my week. I came into Sunday rested and was better able to lead worship.
The other side of the adjustment is the way I work on Monday. I don’t schedule “heavy things” for Monday morning, or even the afternoon. It is a day when I have more freedom to take time to listen, to sit or walk in the sanctuary, to hear God as I pray few words, but try to see the path of the days or the week ahead.
Jesus just finished a busy time with the last thing he has just done is feed 5,000 with five small loaves of bread and two fish. As he finishes the busyness and the miraculous feeding he goes to spend time alone with the Father. And he will go immediately from this to walking on the water as the disciples struggle in the boat. He will go to them and calm the waters and winds.
Each of us has our own busyness and stress that fills our life. As we move from one portion to the next we need to take that time to be with God in our solitude. Ask God to settle our minds and bodies. Ask God to strengthen us for the days ahead. Ask God to walk with us and lead us as we come to new opportunities to serve each day. And let him renew us, speak to us, comfort us, lead us, as we continue to live as his disciples today. Take some time to sit with God as he invites you into his presence.
Song – I Will Follow
Prayer
Lord God, calm my spirit within me. Remind me of your presence always with me. Allow me to rest in your arms as I give my concerns to you and hear you lead me into this day and this week. Let me rest in you. Amen.