Today in God’s Word

Today in God's Word—May 2023

East Tallassee Church of Christ

May 13, Mark 3

His family thought he was out of his mind. The religious experts declared he was in league with the devil. Some of the nation’s leading citizens were plotting his destruction. But the crowd was attracted to Jesus. They were needy and he was meeting their needs, so they came out in big numbers to press close, trying to touch the one demons were confessing as the Son of God.

Crowd control was a potential problem for the little band of followers. So many people were so desperate to see Jesus that he had to have a boat ready to get away when the throng threatened to crush him. Wherever they went, the crowds followed. They were so busy dealing with the crowds that they didn’t even take time to eat.

Jesus chose twelve to be “apostles,” a special group he called to be with him to learn from him and to do the work he would send them to do. The apostles needed time to be with Jesus to learn the lessons he was teaching. They needed to watch how he lived and worked so they could walk in his steps. The training period was a necessary prerequisite to their ministry. Later we’ll see the cycle end when the disciples return from a preaching tour with a report about what they did while they were away from Jesus. When they came back, Jesus insisted that they rest. Rest time was also a part of the cycle Jesus was teaching his disciples to live— be with him to grow and become, go out to do his work and teach his word and then come back to him to get some rest.

Would-be servants are often compromised and confused when they try to eliminate one or more of the phases in the cycle. We have nothing to say if we’re not spending time alone with him. If we don’t go out and fulfill our mission, we’re just talking about it. We’re hearing but not doing the word of the Lord. And those who think they’re exempt from the need for rest will learn (perhaps the hard way) that our minds and bodies are engineered with a demand for down time.

This cycle fits a variety of time frames. All of life might be seen as a single cycle— preparation, work, rest. It could describe our annual or weekly schedules. It even fits a disciple’s daily life. I need time with Jesus every day, preferably at the beginning of the day. I am so much better prepared to work with others when I have prepared myself through reading, meditating and praying. And when it’s time for rest, I’m not always smart enough to remember that, and I push to do more when rest would prepare me to do better.

From The Abiding Companion: A Friendly Guide for Your Journey Through the New Testament, Copyright © 2010 by Michael B. McElroy. Used by permission. All rights reserved.