Hello sweet friends,
Today’s Reading … Matthew 8:14-34, 9-10, 14, Mark 4-6, Luke 9:1-17 and John 6
“Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea. Their herdsmen ran away and reported it in the city and in the country. And the people came to see what it was that had happened. They came to Jesus and observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the “legion”; and they became frightened. Those who had seen it described to them how it had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the swine. And they began to implore Him to leave their region. As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was imploring Him that he might accompany Him” (Mark 5:13-18).
Why would these herdsmen implore Jesus to leave their region? He is God’s greatest gift to mankind. He has just healed a demon-possessed man and yet these herdsmen are pleading with Him to leave. In stark contrast, the man who had been demon-possessed is imploring Jesus to allow him to stay with his healer. Why are some drawn to Jesus and others away from Jesus? The same question exists today. We know that Jesus, God’s greatest gift, came for everyone. Why is it that some respond to Jesus by asking Him to leave while others respond by asking to stay with Him?
If we go back to the story in Mark 5, we gain insight. The herdsmen saw Jesus, they witnessed what He was able to do. They did not however, encounter Jesus. They did not lean into Him and they were not changed by Him. As a result, they had only a head knowledge of Jesus. They knew that He was powerful and that they had just lost two thousand swine. They had only an earthly perspective, no eternal wisdom. They saw only what they lost and not what they stood to gain. The man who had been demon-possessed, on the other hand, encountered Jesus and his life was changed. He had not only a head knowledge of who Jesus was and what He could do, this man also had a heart knowledge of what a relationship with Christ meant for your life. No loss could compare with the gain of being with Jesus and that was all that he desired.
We are surrounded by people, and we might even be the people, who have only a head knowledge of Jesus. You may even believe that He is the Son of God who came to earth, died on the cross and was resurrected from the dead. However, if you have not encountered Jesus on a personal level, if your life has not been changed by relationship with Him then you are still living life with only an earthly perspective. This is not abundant living, this is not redemption in Christ. When we truly encounter Jesus, any loss that we acquire pales in comparison to the gain of a relationship with Jesus, God’s greatest gift.
If you are reading this and the Holy Spirit is revealing to you that you have never truly encountered Jesus, God’s greatest gift to you, now is the time. He is waiting for you. Your relationship with Jesus will be so much more than information and head knowledge, it will be a life changing journey with your personal Savior. Ask Him now to make Himself known to your heart, your life will never be the same.
Love you all,
Kinsee
“so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return empty, but accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it”(Isaiah 55:11).
