Wednesday, July 24, 2024  

---

Today's Scripture
Mark 6:30–34

The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. (NRSV)

---

Reflection

Life certainly has a way of feeling like it is nonstop. Growing up, I felt like I was always rushing from one thing to the next, whether that was school, hockey practice, church, rehearsal, or hanging out with friends. After I graduated college, I thought that maybe life would slow down a little bit.

But this new phase brought new responsibilities and anxieties. My adolescent worries matured into fears of health scares, financial stress, familial drama, and unprecedented events. As my social circle grew and my perspective of the world widened, my exposure to the anxieties and stress of those around me and society at large also increased. Even now, whenever it feels like there is a chance for me to pause and catch my breath, something else happens.

I wonder if that is what the apostles feel like in this passage. As they recount all that they have done and taught on this mission Jesus has sent them on in the greater community, I wonder if they are also taking stock of all the struggles that they have seen and heard. Even as they take up Jesus’ offer to rest, the crowds recognize the apostles and hurry to join them. I wonder if the apostles feel like they can’t pause to catch their breath in this moment.

But Jesus sees this great crowd, that they are like sheep without a shepherd, and so he teaches them. In a beautiful example of balanced compassion, Jesus meets the needs of the crowd while also giving his apostles some moments of rest (before they are tasked with feeding the 5,000-plus gathered on the shore). Perhaps that is the wisdom I most need from this passage today: I can balance time to rest with compassion for the needs of others.

---

Prayer
Compassionate God, you listen to our hopes and fears, our dreams and anxieties, and you give us the teachings and the rest that we need when we need it most. We thank you for being our shepherd and our friend. Amen.

---

Written by Katrina Buchanan, Editorial Associate

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

Devotion index by date | I’d like to receive daily devotions by email