A timely reminder from the Samaritan’s Purse Ministry Department.

“The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 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.’ So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place” (Mark 6:30-32, NIV).

The apostles succumbed to the stress of overwork even while doing the most important work of their lives.

Are today’s Christians faring any better? Hardly. Balancing the demands of work, church, and family can make our lives a virtual pressure cooker of stress.

The ubiquitous mobile device enables us to carry a year’s worth of appointments, to-do lists and obligations in our shirt pockets.

To our grandparents, a “social network” involved strolls through the neighborhood, maybe being invited up for lemonade, and a seat on the neighbor’s porch swing. Now it’s about “Tweets” and “Facebooking” while sitting alone at the computer.

As if the breakneck pace of modern life weren’t enough, we are nightly bombarded with images of political turmoil, roiling financial markets, and natural disasters—all beamed into our living rooms in high definition.

Where can we turn for relief? To every overworked, tired, stressed-out, angst-ridden, careworn Christian struggling to cope in this fast-paced world, Christ gently calls as He did to the apostles, “Come with me to a quiet place.”

If you’re thinking as you read this “That’s me,” try punching this appointment into your smart phone: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29, NIV).

Samaritan's Purse , Finding Rest in Jesus

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