Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

I’ve shared before that part of how the Holy Spirit gives me the themes to explore is through my designated helper Dana. She is a K-5 school teacher, and when I asked her for input she responded with ‘fall break’. Although it’s tempting to think my wife’s theme is what’s on her mind in the moment, I must confess the Holy Spirit has used some of the most obscure topics to reveal God’s wisdom and expectations in a profound ways.

Accordingly, I will trust the Holy Spirit to guide my thoughts and words about Spiritual Fall Breaks. Today, let’s begin with getting much needed rest.

Today’s scripture, Mark 6:30-32 (NLT), says…
[30] The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught. [31] Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. [32] So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone.

Consider…
The Holy Spirit has a sense of humor. I was at a loss for how a teacher’s excitement about ‘fall break’ could provide any spiritual edification until I was led to today’s scripture.

Verse 30 literally says after the apostles told Jesus all they had done and TAUGHT, that He told them to get away with Him to rest! 🤯

Now that the Holy Spirit has my attention, let’s see what He wants to teach us.

First, I see that the apostles returned from their ministry. Each one of us, as believers, has a ministry or spiritual gift that God has given us to benefit others and glorify Him. 1 Peter 4:10-11 (NLT) teaches us…
[10] God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. [11] Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

No matter what we do, we must remember we are God’s representatives.

To further illustrate this expectation, the Holy Spirit guided me to a couple of Jesus’ declarations.

First, in John 9:5 (KJV)
Jesus said…
[5] As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

Then, in Matthew 5:14-16 (KJV) Jesus declared…
[14] Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. [15] Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. [16] Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

In these two passages, the Son of God reveals the fact that this dark world is in constant need of physical light to show the spiritual way. In the first scripture, Jesus says He is that physical light. However, in the second passage He confers the responsibility of displaying the physical light to His disciples, which includes us.

To further emphasize God’s light expectation of us, the Holy Spirit led me to Ephesians 5:8-9 (NLT), which says…
[8] For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! [9] For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.

The instruction that the Lord is giving us is, we are to be God’s lights no matter where we go or what we do. I believe that being the lights that show God’s love and grace is a shared ministry of every believer.

Wow, the Holy Spirit just made another connection regarding us as God’s children being lights. James 1:17-18 (NLT) says…
[17] Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. [18] He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.

The Holy Spirit just hit me with the idea that we are to be Heaven’s light here on earth. Meaning, we should be showing everyone we encounter the way to our Father in Heaven, which we know is Jesus Christ the Lord (John 14:6)

Now that we understand our ministry, it’s important that we know fulfilling it can be exhausting. Shining the love and grace of God by doing good may wear us out. Read Jesus’ instructions in Luke 6:27-30 (NLT)…
[27] “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. [28] Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. [29] If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. [30] Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back.

Talk about strain, making peace is exhausting! Yet, according to Matthew 5:9 it’s the peacemakers that will be called the children of God.

Here’s an encouraging word from Jesus for those of us who get tired from trying to shine for Christ in darkness. In Matthew 11:28 (NLT) Jesus says…
[28] Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

God knows trying to do right in the midst of the berage of wrong is burdensome and wearying. But He says, when we do get tired, come to Him and get away for rest. That’s the same thing we read happening in today’s scripture with Jesus spent apostles.

The Lord is telling us…

• Be my light ministry everywhere with everyone
• When your energy gets low, return to Jesus the power source
• Find rest in Him so that you can be reenergized to shine even brighter

The heavy burden of shining for Jesus is lightened by resting with Him.

Today’s Song is…
Rest For Your Soul

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)