Bone Tired

Lorna of see-through faith led me to a post on RevGalBlogPals by Songbird based on this scripture:

And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. (Mark 4:36a, NRSV)
This scripture is from Mark 4. Jesus had been teaching and then spent some time explaining the parables to the disciples.

Have you ever noticed the phrase at the end of the verse quoted above? "...just as he was." As Songbird says (and I've never noticed this before):

Her friend "imagined Jesus so tired that the disciples had to bundle him into the boat, the way we might a child who has had a long day. Mark's gospel repeatedly refers to Jesus' withdrawing for prayer and rest. Just as he was, he rested in the back of the boat, asleep on a cushion, so drained he is not wakened by the storm.

We don't think of Jesus as tired or stressed. We don't consider, I think, that his body has the same frailties as ours. We don't dare to imagine that his spirit could become crushed by the weight of his mission. I've mentioned before that I am comforted by the idea that Jesus felt many of the same challenges that we all do as humans, but this is the first time I've realized that he would be tired -- so tired that he would collapse on a cushion, falling so deeply asleep as to not be awaked by a storm in a boat. To be tired is not sinful.

Notice that he did try to rest. Do we forget that sometimes -- that we need sabbath -- a time to rest? We need to figure out what recharges our spirits -- quiet time, reading, walking -- whatever it is, we need to do it. It is not sinful to recharge -- it is necessary.

And then what happened? The disciples woke him up in the storm to save them because they were afraid. Imagine what you are like when you finally get to rest after a long and stressful day, and someone wakes you up. Do you feel even more tired, even more drained? Jesus probably did, too. And yet he is able to calm the storm. God takes us "just as we are," whether that is tired, burned-out, crushed or confused, and can still use us for His purposes. You can extend that thought to other weaknesses -- whether we feel inadequate, alone, talentless, or sinful, he takes us "just as we are" into the boat, and continues to work with us -- equips us for His will, and blows his breath onto the sail, sending on our way.

Image: Flowers from our vacation, although I don't remember where I took the picture.
Menu tonight: (One of the few nights lately that we've gotten to cook dinner) -- Steak and corn on the cob cooked on the grill (S did this -- just outstanding), pasta, cornbread and fruit salad. Key lime pie later for dessert.