Today is going to be a long one, Father. Karen will be busy at school through early evening. May I be a good steward of the time You have given me. Amen.
Mark 5:18-20 (<<click to read the passage)
Wouldn’t it be great if we could pull a “Paul Harvey” and hear the “rest of the story”?
As He was stepping into the boat, the [Gentile] man who had been demon-possessed was begging with Him [asking] that he might go with Him [as a disciple]. Jesus did not let him [come], but [instead] He said to him, “Go home to your family and tell them all the great things that the Lord has done for you, and how He has had mercy on you.” So he [obeyed and] went away and began to publicly proclaim in Decapolis [the region of the ten Hellenistic cities] all the great things that Jesus had done for him; and all the people were astonished. vs18-20 AMP
What kind of impact did this man have? How many were touched by his testimony of what Jesus had done for him? One thing that is a bit astonishing is the fact that “he [obeyed and] went”. So many other times those Jesus had healed didn’t do what they were told, but this man did. Wouldn’t you think that his reputation proceeded him everywhere he went? His scars alone would have given him the opportunity to share his story and that would have given him a platform to share what Jesus did for him.
We will not know until eternity what exactly became of him and his obedience but nothing done in Jesus’ name and with a heart given over to Him will return void. It bore fruit of some sort, we just don’t know exactly what…yet!
Lord Jesus, may we all be willingly enthusiastic as this man was to fulfill Your calling upon of lives. May we be about Your work at every moment of every day. Use the gifts we have, multiply their impact, may our scars and the stories they tell bring You glory. And may they bring people to You, as we share who You are and what You mean to us! Amen.
Mar 14th, 2019, Thurs, 9:43 am
