Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest a while.

                                                           Mark 6:31

Excitement devoured by horror.  A giddy joy of victorious service eclipsed by the terrifying reality of the execution of John.  I imagine them crowded around Jesus, chattering like children, each nudging another aside to step just a little closer, to absorb the validation of his affectionate response, to release their fears to his strength.

The story doesn't record what he might have said to encourage or comfort them.  There are no explanations or reassurances to calm their spirits, he just asks them to come away.  Come away, not go away, suggesting he has every intention of coming along.

 Come away, to a remote place.  Remote, quiet, away from the crowds, away from the demands, away from the angry dissension.   A place to rest.  

What would it be to rest with Jesus?  

In a world that spins faster every day, where the voices never end, and horrors pile like autumn leaves on the constant barrage of news sites, the greatest power might be the strength to stop; to breathe, to focus, to rest a while with Jesus.