Devotional Tuesday: The world needs testimony and miracle.
Devotional Tuesday: The world needs testimony and miracle.
A devotion on Mark 5
5 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”
9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
“My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” 10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.
11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12 The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” 13 He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.
14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. 17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.
18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.
Mark 5:1–20.
I was reading the story of the demon-possessed man in Mark 5 when I noticed something.
The world needs both testimony and miracle.
Here are a few thoughts from our reading…
Darkness always seeks out the light.
2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him.
The man filled with demons was also filled with darkness.
This should resonate with us…
In the West, we have become largely unfamiliar to this kind of demonic activity and designated it as “mentally-ill.” Our world, which revolves around scientific answers, has created non-spiritual explanations for this behavior. However, that does not mean we misunderstand darkness. Regardless of our culture’s rejection of Christian rational, we are a culture consumed with darkness. (According to a study in 2020, up to 63% of young people have suffered symptoms of anxiety or depression).
Darkness is a universal human experience. There is also a universal longing for the light.
The man filled with demons was accustomed to isolation and darkness—living in tombs filled only with darkness and death. Yet, in the moment he sees Jesus, he has a pull toward the light. He longs for the hope we all so desperately seek.
Darkness always seeks out light, and light always overpowers the darkness.
Outsiders will always fear the work and power of God.
8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”
…
15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. 17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.
As followers of Jesus, we must anticipate the fear and rejection of others.
The work and power of Jesus will always be met with fear from those who do not accept him.
What blows my mind is that in most situations this (fear) is the most unreasonable response.
Look again.
15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
What they saw was normal.
They saw the man sitting with clothes on, not running around naked. He was calm, not ripping apart chains and screaming. He was not scary, but they were afraid.
The miracle here is that the man changed. The man was restored. He had a miracle and was transformed, but the city was not.
The power of God was able to redeem this man, but the city was still locked in their own darkness.
I can imagine being scared of this man when he was possessed by the demons. He would run around naked and rip his chains off. They could not contain him. He lived with the dead. I would be scared of him—but I am scared of most things.
The city remains in their fear.
They start the story in fear, and they stay in fear… until Jesus leaves.
The power of Jesus is always scary, until it saves you…
The world needs testimony and miracle.
So often we pray for a miracle. They “save” us in a sense. (To fully connect this to the miracle of salvation is another topic entirely.)
We all have access to—whether that be salvation, physical, emotional, material, etc.
The temptation is to hoard or hide our miracle.
Notice for the man that the miracle was part of his redemption. His experience and healing from Jesus leads him to newfound life. Yet, the city was not so fortunate.
The miracle was not enough for them. Seeing his healing was not enough. Seeing his restoration did not relieve their fear. In reality, it only reinforced it.
The world does not need miracles, individuals need miracles. Miracles only mean something to the people they directly restore. Testimony of that miracle, or better the story and proclamation of the hope found, is what changes the world.
So miracles are tied to testimony.
Without the miracle, the testimony holds no power in the person. Without the testimony, the miracle provides no power in the world.
The world needs both our miracles and our testimony in order to fully see and expense the hope that Jesus has to offer.
19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.
May you experience the many miracles of God, and may they be loudly shared throughout your world, spurring new miracles in those around you .
Miracles beget miracles.
Feel free to share yours in the comments below.