The Desire of Ages
by Ellen G. White
Chapter 38: Come Rest Awhile
This chapter is based on Matt. 14:1, 2, 12, 13; Mark
6:30-32; Luke 9:7-10.
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A great work was before the disciples, and Jesus
wanted them to learn that their strength
was not in self, but in God.
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Review and Herald Publ. Assoc. |
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On returning from their missionary tour, "the apostles
gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told Him all things, both what
they had done, and what they had taught. And He said unto them, Come ye
yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest awhile: for there were many
coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat." {DA 359.1}
The disciples came to Jesus and told Him all things. Their
intimate relationship with Him encouraged them to lay before Him their
favorable and unfavorable experiences, their joy at seeing results from their
labors, and their sorrow at their failures, their faults, and their weaknesses.
They had committed errors in their first work as evangelists, and as they
frankly told Christ of their experiences, He saw that they needed much
instruction. He saw, too, that they had become weary in their labors, and that
they needed to rest. {DA
359.2}
But where they then were they could not obtain the needed privacy;
"for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as
to eat." The people were thronging after Christ, anxious to be healed, and
eager to listen to His words. Many felt drawn to Him; for He seemed to them to
be the fountain of all blessings. Many of those who then thronged about Christ
to receive the precious boon of health accepted Him as their Saviour. Many
others, afraid then to confess Him, because of the Pharisees, were converted at
the descent [360] of the Holy Spirit, and, before
the angry priests and rulers, acknowledged Him as the Son of God. {DA 359.3}
But now Christ longed for retirement, that He might be with
His disciples; for He had much to say to them. In their work they had passed
through the test of conflict, and had encountered opposition in various forms.
Hitherto they had consulted Christ in everything; but for some time they had
been alone, and at times they had been much troubled to know what to do. They
had found much encouragement in their work; for Christ did not send them away
without His Spirit, and by faith in Him they worked many miracles; but they
needed now to feed on the Bread of Life. They needed to go to a place of
retirement, where they could hold communion with Jesus and receive instruction
for future work. {DA
360.1}
"And He said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a
desert place, and rest awhile." Christ is full of tenderness and
compassion for all in His service. He would show His disciples that God does
not require sacrifice, but mercy. They had been putting their whole souls into
labor for the people, and this was exhausting their physical and mental
strength. It was their duty to rest. {DA 360.2}
As the disciples had seen the success of their labors, they
were in danger of taking credit to themselves, in danger of cherishing
spiritual pride, and thus falling under Satan's temptations. A great work was
before them, and first of all they must learn that their strength was not in
self, but in God. Like Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, like David among the
hills of Judea, or Elijah by the brook Cherith, the disciples needed to come
apart from the scenes of their busy activity, to commune with Christ, with
nature, and with their own hearts. {DA 360.3}
While the disciples had been absent on their missionary
tour, Jesus had visited other towns and villages, preaching the gospel of the
kingdom. It was about this time that He received tidings of the Baptist's
death. This event brought vividly before Him the end to which His own steps
were tending. The shadows were gathering thickly about His path. Priests and
rabbis were watching to compass His death, spies hung upon His steps, and on
every hand plots for His ruin were multiplying. News of the preaching of the
apostles throughout Galilee reached Herod, calling his attention to Jesus and
His work. "This is John the Baptist," he said; "he is risen from
the dead;" and he expressed a desire to see Jesus. Herod was in constant
fear lest a revolution might be secretly carried forward, with the object of
unseating him from the throne, and breaking the Roman yoke from the Jewish
nation. Among the people the spirit [361] of discontent and
insurrection was rife. It was evident that Christ's public labors in Galilee
could not be long continued. The scenes of His suffering were drawing near, and
He longed to be apart for a season from the confusion of the multitude. {DA 360.4}
With saddened hearts the disciples of John had borne his
mutilated body to its burial. Then they "went and told Jesus." These
disciples had been envious of Christ when He seemed to be drawing the people
away from John. They had sided with the Pharisees in accusing Him when He sat
with the publicans at Matthew's feast. They had doubted His divine mission
because He did not set the Baptist at liberty. But now that their teacher was
dead, and they longed for consolation in their great sorrow, and for guidance
as to their future work, they came to Jesus, and united their interest with
His. They too needed a season of quiet for communion with the Saviour. {DA 361.1}
Near Bethsaida, at the northern end of the lake, was a
lonely region, now beautiful with the fresh green of spring, that offered a
welcome retreat to Jesus and His disciples. For this place they set out, going
in their boat across the water. Here they would be away from the thoroughfares
of travel, and the bustle and agitation of the city. The scenes of nature were
in themselves a rest, a change grateful to the senses. Here they could listen
to the words of Christ without hearing the angry interruptions, the retorts and
accusations of the scribes and Pharisees. Here they could enjoy a short season
of precious fellowship in the society of their Lord. {DA 361.2}
The rest which Christ and His disciples took was not
self-indulgent rest. The time they spent in retirement was not devoted to
pleasure seeking. They talked together regarding the work of God, and the
possibility of bringing greater efficiency to the work. The disciples had been
with Christ, and could understand Him; to them He need not talk in parables. He
corrected their errors, and made plain to them the right way of approaching the
people. He opened more fully to them the precious treasures of divine truth.
They were vitalized by divine power, and inspired with hope and courage. {DA 361.3}
Though Jesus could work miracles, and had empowered His
disciples to work miracles, He directed His worn servants to go apart into the
country and rest. When He said that the harvest was great, and the laborers
were few, He did not urge upon His disciples the necessity of ceaseless toil,
but said, "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send
forth laborers into His harvest." Matthew 9:38. God has [362]
appointed to every man his work, according to his ability (Ephesians 4:11-13),
and He would not have a few weighted with responsibilities while others have no
burden, no travail of soul. {DA
361.4}
Christ's words of compassion are spoken to His workers today
just as surely as they were spoken to His disciples. "Come ye yourselves
apart, . . . and rest awhile," He says to those who are worn and
weary. It is not wise to be always under the strain of work and excitement,
even in ministering to men's spiritual needs; for in this way personal piety is
neglected, and the powers of mind and soul and body are overtaxed. Self-denial
is required of the disciples of Christ, and sacrifices must be made; but care
must also be exercised lest through their overzeal Satan take advantage of the
weakness of humanity, and the work of God be marred. {DA 362.1}
In the estimation of the rabbis it was the sum of religion
to be always in a bustle of activity. They depended upon some outward
performance to show their superior piety. Thus they separated their souls from
God, and built themselves up in self-sufficiency. The same dangers still exist.
As activity increases and men become successful in doing any work for God,
there is danger of trusting to human plans and methods. There is a tendency to
pray less, and to have less faith. Like the disciples, we are in danger of
losing sight of our dependence on God, and seeking to make a savior of our
activity. We need to look constantly to Jesus, realizing that it is His power
which does the work. While we are to labor earnestly for the salvation of the
lost, we must also take time for meditation, for prayer, and for the study of
the word of God. Only the work accomplished with much prayer, and sanctified by
the merit of Christ, will in the end prove to have been efficient for good. {DA 362.2}
No other life was ever so crowded with labor and
responsibility as was that of Jesus; yet how often He was found in prayer! How
constant was His communion with God! Again and again in the history of His
earthly life are found records such as these: "Rising up a great while before
day, He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed."
"Great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their
infirmities. And He withdrew Himself into the wilderness, and prayed."
"And it came to pass in those days, that He went out into a mountain to
pray, and continued all night in prayer to God." Mark 1:35; Luke 5:15, 16;
6:12. {DA 362.3}
In a life wholly devoted to the good of others, the Saviour
found [363]
it necessary to withdraw from the thoroughfares of travel and from the throng
that followed Him day after day. He must turn aside from a life of ceaseless
activity and contact with human needs, to seek retirement and unbroken
communion with His Father. As one with us, a sharer in our needs and
weaknesses, He was wholly dependent upon God, and in the secret place of prayer
He sought divine strength, that He might go forth braced for duty and trial. In
a world of sin Jesus endured struggles and torture of soul. In communion with
God He could unburden the sorrows that were crushing Him. Here He found comfort
and joy. {DA 362.4}
In Christ the cry of humanity reached the Father of infinite
pity. As a man He supplicated the throne of God till His humanity was charged
with a heavenly current that should connect humanity with divinity. Through
continual communion He received life from God, that He might impart life to the
world. His experience is to be ours. {DA 363.1}
"Come ye yourselves apart," He bids us. If we
would give heed to His word, we should be stronger and more useful. The
disciples sought Jesus, and told Him all things; and He encouraged and
instructed them. If today we would take time to go to Jesus and tell Him our
needs, we should not be disappointed; He would be at our right hand to help us.
We need more simplicity, more trust and confidence in our Saviour. He whose
name is called "The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of
Peace;" He of whom it is written, "The government shall be upon His
shoulder," is the Wonderful Counselor. We are invited to ask wisdom of
Him. He "giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not." Isaiah
9:6; James 1:5. {DA 363.2}
In all who are under the training of God is to be revealed a
life that is not in harmony with the world, its customs, or its practices; and
everyone needs to have a personal experience in obtaining a knowledge of the
will of God. We must individually hear Him speaking to the heart. When every
other voice is hushed, and in quietness we wait before Him, the silence of the
soul makes more distinct the voice of God. He bids us, "Be still, and know
that I am God." Psalm 46:10. Here alone can true rest be found. And this
is the effectual preparation for all who labor for God. Amid the hurrying
throng, and the strain of life's intense activities, the soul that is thus
refreshed will be surrounded with an atmosphere of light and peace. The life
will breathe out fragrance, and will reveal a divine power that will reach
men's hearts. {DA 363.3}
Click here to read the next chapter:
"Give Ye Them to Eat"
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