Regrouping

"Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself."  Matthew 14:13a

Jesus had just heard of the violent death of John the Baptist. He needed time away, and so he went to a deserted place by himself. As we read scripture, we know that Jesus was often followed by the crowds and had little time to himself-- as happens in the next verses-- but I think his action to get away to a quiet place is important.  Jesus, the son of God, fully God and fully human, experienced the full range of human emotion and experiences. During his three year public ministry, he experienced things that had an intensity that we could not understand. If it was important for Jesus to have time away from the intensities of human interactions, it is important for us as well to sometimes have time away.

For some of us this time away sounds threatening--particularly if we are extroverts who are energized being around people.  For some of us, time away sounds as wonderful as a vacation on a deserted tropical beach-- especially if we are introverts. 

One of the challenges with chronic illness is that we do not always have the choice to get away, either as those who wrestle with illness, or as those who partner and care for those with illness.  We may not be able to leave our place or have someone else partner with a loved one easily. 

However, time away, is important. We often do face intense circumstances with chronic illness, whether it is a new symptom or diagnosis, or whether it is simply that the same difficulties have to be faced day after day. We can get worn out by this wilderness.

Time away can be literal or figurative- with a trip, or a virtual trip away in a book or movie. Time away can be some silence and the home to ourselves while others are at work, or out shopping-- or it can be leaving the house while our loved one is safely at home.

Time away is important. When was your last time to have time  "away"?  How might you schedule some time to get away by yourself, for prayer, for relaxation...for a breather? 

Lord, renew us by those times when we can get away by ourselves.  Fill us with your loving presence and help us to lay the cares and intensities of daily life into your hands.  Amen.