Rest In the Boat

Recently, I was on a prayer retreat with my prayer team.  During the afternoon we had three hours alone with God!  I took off immediately and hit the hiking trails bringing my water and my prayer journal in a small backpack.  I hiked several trails that afternoon and stopped often to write down in my journal what God was telling me. 

I absolutely love the times that I hear God speaking to me so clearly.

The next afternoon came and once again, I had three hours to be alone with God.  A second time, I took off alone for the hiking trails.  Only on this day, my trek was quite different.  It was as though every little bit, I heard the Lord tell me to stop and rest.  This is not quite what I was expecting.  But again, God was speaking quite clearly.

So, throughout that afternoon I stopped many times along the path, eventually coming out into a wide clearing and finding a swing!  Yes, I stopped and rested there.  But, each time, after a short rest, the Lord directed me to continue.  At one point, he even reminded me that I was not done.  He still has many miles for me to travel and serve him in prayer!

Later, after I returned, I was drawn to the story in Scripture where Jesus had been serving crowds of people and he is tired.  So, he gets in the boat with the disciples and they begin rowing across the sea.  While they row, Jesus rests in the boat.  When they reach the other shore, new crowds have already gathered seeking to hear Jesus.  He was tired.  He wanted to go to the mountain and be alone with his Father.  But…  He had rested in the boat.

Scripture says, Jesus had compassion on them, and he once again spoke and ministered to the crowd.  Later, we read that he finally made it to the mountain and took time alone with his Father.  Jesus finally got that short “vacation” he was truly needing.

As I read this, I realized that my vacations the past couple of years have been quite far apart and if I am only resting when they come, I am not resting much at all!  As one of God’s intercessors, I am continually listening to others, offering compassion, and interceding passionately for them in prayer.  If you are an intercessor, then you know and understand that after a while one begins to feel drained.  If we continue to push ourselves we can end up at the door marked “compassion fatigue”.  Sister, this is not the door we want to walk through.  I’ve been there once and it’s a long road back.

I believe God is teaching me something quite important and he is using Jesus’ life on earth to make his point.  I must learn to “rest in the boat”.  Jesus didn’t offer to help row.  We do not read that he asked Peter to hand him an oar.  He took that short time to rest.  He let others do the work of rowing and for a short time, he rested.

God calls his intercessors to pray for all people; to pray whenever he calls us, day or night, to come to the foot of his throne in prayer.  If we are to last, and I definitely want to last; to finish this race, then I and you, must learn to follow Jesus’ example and take those opportune few hours to rest when we can.  We must learn to rest in the boat so we may pray without ceasing.

By Jacqui – One of God’s Intercessors