The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Mark 6:31-32, “And He said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a lonely place and rest a while.’

(For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.)

32 “And they went away in the boat to a lonely place by themselves.”

Tragedies often drain us of strength. The death of a loved one is just such a tragedy. John the Baptist

(literally, John the baptizing one) had just been put to death by King Herod. It was that same John, and a

cousin of Jesus, who had earlier come out of the wilderness to introduce Him to the multitudes. John was

a bold and righteous man. The agony of John’s death was heavily upon the minds and hearts of those

early apostles.

Thus, Jesus said, “Come away / by yourselves / to a lonely place / and rest a while.”

Here is the first part of Jesus’ four-part command: “Come away…” At first, it may seem as if Jesus is signaling a retreat for His men. But, in reality, He is not calling them to forsake their work altogether. They just need to cease work for a time and in order to rest their minds and emotions.

He also said, “by yourselves.” We are social creatures. We tend to share our worries and joys with others. We tend to be suspicious of hermits, who steer clear others. There are occasions when we just need to be by ourselves. We have to think things through without the well-meaning direction of even the closest of friends.

Further, we need to withdraw “to a lonely place.” That means, we don’t need a crowd to confuse our thinking. We need to be alone. Crowds are distractions, and within a short time we will find ourselves siding with their thoughts and their involvements concerning things that are neither their business nor their knowledge. All of that is a distraction from the purpose for which we have come to “a lonely place.”

Additionally, Jesus’ instruction indicates that our “rest” is not a total relinquishment of the work He has assigned us; it is just the right amount of “withdrawal time” we need to work out the problems we face. Nor is it inconceivable to believe that when our work is resumed, it will offer a better result and a more efficient product.

Subsequently, the disciples obeyed and “went away in the boat to a lonely place by themselves.” A runner who prepares himself to race is more apt to win over those who have not prepared. So it is spiritually. When we obey the LORD’s commands, we win over those who neither know Him nor know to obey His will. Think about this with respect to your own life. Are you too much in the fray of things? –too much to take time to hear Him and to obey Him? Start today to discipline yourself according to His Word. Anxieties will vanish, and you will be refreshed for the work to which He has called you.

You will be in our prayers,

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & Gene)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

Genesis 2:2-3, “And by the seventh day God completed His work which He had done; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.”

Generally speaking, those of us who have work look forward to the days when we will have none. But those, who have no work, look expectingly for it. We were made for work, and work was made for us.

The word “work” is mentioned in Scripture 574 times. God did His initial work of Creation, and then He rested.

He created man to work. That’s what He meant when He directed Adam to care for the Garden of Eden. It would have been easy, had Adam not sinned. But he did; and the burden of the otherwise enjoyable work prompted the need for strength.

As we engage in work (???????? melakah, occupation, work) we are doing exactly what the LORD intends. He leads us in various ways into the kind of work that is best suited for us. Fast forward from Creation to 1705 BC, the era of Joseph, and interestingly enough, the Bible uses the same word for Joseph’s work (Gen. 39:11) that was used for the LORD’s. Thus, we can conclude that the work we are doing is precisely what the LORD intends for us to do.

There is yet another Hebrew word for work () ????????maaseh, a deed, accomplishment). We are always heartened when the tasks before us are completed, and on time and in good manner. Thus, there is joy in the work the LORD has set before us. Work is of far greater value than the financial reward we receive. Especially is that so, when we remember that we are doing His work.

The LORD’s rewards will be like trophies for a game well played –only far greater! Not everything we will be asked to do in this life will be pleasant. There is a Day of rest and reward coming. So, remember to view it as His work and attend to it with diligence and good will. Just hearing Him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” will be more than sufficient on that day.

We are praying for you as you work,

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & Gene)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”