And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. Mark 6:31.
He [Jesus] did not urge upon His disciples the necessity of ceaseless toil…. “Come ye yourselves apart, … and rest a while,” He says to those who are worn and weary. It is not wise to be always under the strain of work and excitement, … for in this way personal piety is neglected, and the powers of mind and soul and body are overtaxed.
Care needs to be exercised in regard to the regulation of hours for sleeping and laboring. We must take periods of rest, periods of recreation, periods for contemplation.
There are modes of recreation which are highly beneficial to both mind and body…. Recreation in the open air, the contemplation of the works of God in nature, will be of the highest benefit.
It is for our health and happiness to go out of our houses, and spend as much of our time as possible in the open air…. We should invite our minds to be interested in all the glorious things God has provided for us with a liberal hand. And in reflecting upon these rich tokens of His love and care, we may forget infirmities, be cheerful, and make melody in our hearts unto the Lord.
Pure air, sunlight, abstemiousness, rest, exercise, proper diet, the use of water, trust in divine power—these are the true remedies…. Nature, untrammeled, does her work wisely and well. Those who persevere in obedience to her laws will reap the reward in health of body and health of mind.
He [Jesus] found recreation amidst the scenes of nature…. His hours of greatest happiness were found when He could turn aside from His labors to go into the fields, to meditate in the quiet valleys, to hold communion with God on the mountainside or amid the trees of the forest.
We may … make our seasons of recreation what the name implies—seasons of true upbuilding for body and mind and soul.
The Faith I Live By p. 233
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for Ali who has become a Christian and who is in danger of being sent back to his country which will mean certain death. Please pray that the judge will rule in his favour. Susie
—-I want to praise God for an answer to prayer. My daughter’s biopsies were benign and we are so grateful! Vicki
—-Please pray for four young men. David, Michael, Junie and Mariel, that satan will brake his strong hold on them, and that they will rise up to carry God’s word. Rosemary
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Dear Friends,
When Esther was in her early teens, I went to work full time. This job was a great opportunity for us, but I wasn’t sure what to do about Esther. Some friends who homeschooled their children allowed her to homeschool with them during the day. She grew to think of them as her own family and love them dearly. In fact, they are still very special to her.
One day, while taking a break from her schoolwork, Esther Marie watched the mother unpacking her wedding dress. How she wanted to try it on. (This is a thrill for girls of any age, and I have seen grown women do the very same thing.) Seeing her desire, the mother of the family let her put it on. Esther Marie was so excited! She and her little “sister” played wedding for a few minutes, and the mother took a picture of them before she had to repack it.
There is a wedding garment that we must never be without it. Our Dear Saviour supplies this to us if we will ask Him for it. He told a parable about the importance of having on this wedding garment. “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.” Matt 22:2-14
Without the spotless robe of Christ’s righteousness, we cannot attend the most important “marriage” of all. Without the white raiment that He so freely offers us, we too will be cast out. The True Witness pleads, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” Rev 3:15-21
May we reach out and take the wedding garment that the Heavenly Bridegroom freely offers us before it is forever too late. May we then joyfully exclaim, “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” Isa 61:10
Rose

Come Apart and Rest