”And He said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into the desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. And they departed into a desert place by ship privately” (Mark 6:31-32).

When I was a younger pastor, I was notorious at giving good advice to others but not following it so much myself. I often counseled those from various walks of life, stressing to them the importance of our bodies being the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6: 19-20) and that their bodies needed rest. I even shared with them the importance of getting a change of situation and scenery just like the early disciples did. But sometimes I was not so good at taking my own counsel. I seldom took my full vacation time. Often we returned from vacations early because of emergencies in the church family. Take it from me. I am doing better at this and want to encourage you likewise. Take some time off, even a few hours here and there, to enjoy the Lord and your family. You’ll be glad that you did.

For today: When life gets too busy, follow the Lord’s example with His disciples.