Mark 6:31 (NIV) Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."
The disciples have just returned to Jesus, telling him of all the work they have done. They are tired. Jesus invites them to come to be with Him in a quiet place. Never before have I thought of this passage in terms of motherhood, but it is a good example of our day. As moms, we work from sunup to sundown, and most likely in between as well. Our job is a 24 hour on-call position that requires us to give of ourselves until our bodies are weary.
I giggled when I read the part about the disciples not having a chance to eat. There will be days when I can’t figure out why my stomach is rumbling like the little yellow stuffed bear my children love to watch on TV. Oh yeah…I forgot to eat. I’ll feed the kids and then get totally distracted by something like spilled milk, a phone call, or a fit pitched over the obvious “unfairness” of giving an unequal number of chips to each child. I never thought I would relate to the disciples so literally.
My hunger goes beyond the physical “rumbly in my tumbly”, and I believe that Jesus was talking about more than a physical need to eat as well. When he invites them to take a break, Jesus tells the disciples to “come with me”. They are to go with Him. He wants to dwell with them in a quiet place. In my busy days as a mom of four small children, I often forget to take time to feed my soul by going to a quiet place with my Lord. Those seem to be the days where I more easily lose my temper and resort to yelling.
Honestly, there are days when I don’t have a quiet moment. I count it as a triumph to take a four minute shower with only 1 or 2 interruptions. So, how do I get a quiet moment? I have learned through this quest that my quiet moment only has to be just that…a moment. In this season of my life, I don’t need an hour long session of solitude. That, quite honestly, is a ridiculous thought. I just need a moment. Five minutes, 30 seconds, or 30 minutes….whatever I can get. God will indeed meet me in that moment. The return on my investment in that moment is that God has shown me His presence. This quest to become a Quiet, Grace Filled mom begins first and foremost in my soul. The only way to get my soul to a quiet state is to allow it a moment to rest in the presence of its creator.
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