Our Daily Bread -- Turn It Off

August 23, 2015

Read: Mark 6:30-32,45-47
Bible in a Year: Psalms 113-115; 1 Corinthians 6

Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while. —Mark 6:31

When our kids were young, we took a trip to northern Wisconsin to visit my grandparents. They didn’t get very good reception on their television, but TV wasn’t much of a priority with them. After I had seen our son Scott fiddling with the TV set for a while, he asked with frustration, “What do you do if you can get only one channel and you don’t like what’s on that one?”

“Try turning it off, ” I said with a smile. Not exactly the advice he was hoping for. It’s even more difficult to do now, especially when there are so many devices that entertain, inform, and distract us.

Sometimes we do need to just turn it all off and rest our minds for a little while; we simply need to “unplug.” Jesus often drew aside for a time—especially when He wanted to take time to pray (Matt. 14:13). He encouraged the disciples to step away as well—even for a brief time (Mark 6:31). That kind of solitude and time for reflection is beneficial for each of us. In those moments we are able to draw near to God.

Follow the example and wisdom of Christ. Get away by yourself and “rest a while.” It will be good for your body, mind, and spirit. —Cindy Hess Kasper

Lord, help me to seek those things which are from above. I want to turn off all that distracts me and draw near to You.Share this prayer from our Facebook page with your friends. facebook.com/ourdailybread

Turning down the volume of life allows you to listen carefully to God.

INSIGHT: Mark 6 is a pivotal chapter in this gospel account. It begins with the people of Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth rejecting Him (vv. 1-6). This experience is compounded by the death of John the Baptist (vv. 14-29)—a person Jesus loved and honored (Matt. 11:1-11; 14:1-13). These moments of difficulty, however, did not impede Jesus’ continuing work. The chapter concludes with two of His most notable miracles: His feeding of the multitude (vv. 30-44) and His walking on water (vv. 45-56). Great heartache and power combine to make this chapter so strategic in Mark’s gospel. Bill Crowder

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