Day 20 - Issue 43
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Mark 5:18-19
As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him. But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.”
This healing took place on the east side of the Sea of Galilee. It was a very different area from the other side of the lake, where Jesus spent most of his time living and ministering. Most of the people on the east side were Gentiles. Jesus was confronted with a man who lived in the burial caves and who couldn’t be restrained. He was known as Legion because there were so many evil spirits in him. No doubt the local population lived in great fear of him. Whenever he was put in chains or shackles, he just snapped the chains and smashed the shackles. Jesus healed him and ordered the evil spirits to enter a local herd of pigs. Two thousand of them hurtled down the hillside and drowned in the lake. Inevitably, the owners of the pigs were outraged by this, and the local population begged Jesus to leave.
It was clear that Jesus’ ministry in this area had come to an end and so Legion had a job to do. Although he was keen to follow Jesus, the Lord had other work for him to do. The hostility of the people meant that Jesus couldn’t remain in the area and so Legion needed to be the messenger. Jesus ordered him to go to his family and tell them what had happened, and he was clearly very effective in this. We learn that he travelled throughout the region telling people the amazing things that Jesus had done.
There are many occasions when, like Legion, we might choose to keep worshipping God and spending time with other believers. But God wants us to move on. He wants us to go for the harder option of speaking to other people about him, and helping them to understand how great he is.
Question: Are there times in your life when you chose the easier option of meeting up with other Christians instead of going out and speaking about your faith?
Prayer: Loving Father, thank you for the amazing things that you have done in my life. Help me always to be ready to share them with others. Amen
Released on 20 Oct 2022
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