Tell What the Lord Has Done for You
Monday, August 17, 2009
There’s an odd story about Jesus in the fifth chapter of the book of Mark in the Bible. Jesus and his twelve closest followers head across the lake in a boat, taking some time away from the crowds who are following Jesus. When they show up on the shore, they meet a guy who’s possessed by an evil spirit. He’s been living in a graveyard - actually, in the tombs. The villagers have tried to chain him up, but he breaks the chains. He’s howling, gashing himself with rocks, naked, bloody, hairy, and dirty.
Picture this: Jesus and his twelve followers get out of the boat and move up the shore, and this guy comes running down to the beach to meet them. I see the twelve friends backing away; “Uh, Jesus, I’m ready to go now!” But Jesus remains calm, and this man runs up to him and kneels on the sand before him. He screams at Jesus to leave him alone. “Don’t torture me, Son of the Most High God!” As the conversation continues, the man says that there are many evil spirits in him, and the spirits beg Jesus to let them go into a nearby herd of pigs. Jesus permits them to go, and they enter the pigs, who immediately run off a cliff into the water and drown.
Naturally, the pig keepers aren’t thrilled about this. They run back to the village and tell everyone what happened, and a bunch of folks come to see for themselves. They find this howling, bloody outcast sitting there talking with Jesus. He’s fully clothed and perfectly sane. The people of the village are terrified, and beg Jesus to go away. As he’s leaving, the man he rescued wants to come with him, and that’s the heart of the matter for today. Jesus says “Go back to your people and tell them what the Lord has done for you and how he has been merciful to you.” The man goes throughout the whole region telling everyone what God has done for him.
What a story! I imagine everyone hung on his words, eager to learn what had brought about such a change in his life. And what a story to tell of God’s goodness.
Jesus is still in the business of setting the oppressed free and showing mercy. Your story may not be quite as dramatic as this guy’s, but I encourage you to tell it anyway. How has Jesus made a difference in your life? How has he shown you mercy? Tell the story.
Peace,
Matt