And they went away in the boat to a secluded place by themselves. The people saw them going, and many recognized them and ran there together on foot from all the cities, and got there ahead of them.
After a long day of work, most of us come home ready for a break. We crave the time to relax after a demanding season in our jobs or a moment away from the kids when the chaos has been overwhelming. We use these times to nourish our bodies and our souls with time to eat, sleep, or just have a moment of peace and quiet.
In this passage, as Jesus and the disciples traveled to take some time to rest away from others, the crowds followed. They journeyed from all over to see Jesus. The problem of crowd control and meeting the needs of so many people could feel like an overwhelming burden. We crave that time of respite after pouring into people. But God was setting the stage to show people where real nourishment comes from. It is not the in the sleep we get, the food we eat, or even the self-care routines we love—we are nourished because of Christ. We receive what we need for our souls when we come to Him instead of working on our own strength. He has the power to meet all our physical, spiritual, and mental needs.
These people changed their schedules and plans, leaving behind the conveniences of home to pursue the Messiah. God knew each person in the crowd and their needs. He knew that the greatest need of their hearts could only be met in Him. Wherever you find yourself in life today, God knows you too. He sees how far you have come. He sees your eagerness to know Him more, and He is not pushing you away as an inconvenience. He is ready to refresh you, renew you, and form you as you come to Him as the source of life and rest.
- Where do you go and what do you do when you need some rest?
- When was a time that you pursued Christ as your source of nourishment? What was that like?
- Pray and ask God to fill you and satisfy your soul with Him as you seek nourishment from Him.
