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THE BACKSTORY:  

Today is Silent Wednesday, not because the whole city was quiet – with all the people, it was probably really noisy – but because the Bible is silent on what Jesus did on the Wednesday before the cross. The Bible doesn’t tell us about Jesus teaching or healing people on that day. Many people who study the Bible think that after days of traveling, teaching, and helping people in Jerusalem, Jesus and His disciples went away for some much-needed rest together.

The Bible teaches us a lot about rest, and God gives us a good example to follow from the very beginning of the Bible. After God created the world, He rested. Jesus spoke about the importance of rest many times. Today's verses are words Jesus spoke to His followers, not during the days of Holy Week, but earlier when Jesus was traveling with His disciples. In this passage, Jesus and His disciples had been working really hard to teach and help people. Jesus told His disciples to go away from the crowds to rest with Him so that they could pray and rest together. We can see how important it is to rest and pray with our friends! And on Silent Wednesday when Jesus was preparing Himself to die on the cross for us, He took time to rest, pray, and spend time with His friends. 

When we are tired or overwhelmed, we can rest and trust that God will be with us. God is the only one who can give us true rest! To rest in Jesus, we can pray and tell Him all the things that are happening in our lives. We can sing worship songs with our friends. To rest, we can sit in silence and think about all the things God has done for us! He gives us strength and comfort when we rest! 

LIFE APPLICATION: 

• Q: What did Jesus say we should do when we feel tired or overwhelmed? 
• A: Jesus said we should come to Him and rest.  
• Q: How can we come to Jesus and rest? 
• A: If you get overwhelmed, you can find a quiet place and tell Jesus what you’re thinking and how you’re feeling. We can rest alone or with others who love Jesus. Jesus cares about you and wants to give you rest! When we have a relationship with Jesus, He will always be with us! 

PRAYER: 

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us rest in Jesus. When I feel frustrated, help me to remember that You are always with me and want to hear what I’m thinking and feeling. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Find more content every day this week at the [HIS]tory: Journey Through Holy Week webpage.