Girlfriends in God - Dec. 12, 2006

December 12, 2006

From the Tombs to the Town

Today's Truth

“Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you” (Mark 5:19).

Friend to Friend

After Jesus had experienced a strenuous day of teaching, not to mention calming a squalling storm, he crossed the Sea of Galilee to enter the region of the Gerasenes. As soon as He stepped off the boat, a demon possessed man who had been living in the tombs, ran up to meet him. This was no welcoming party. The demons began to shout at the top of the man’s voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the most High God? Swear to God that you won’t torture me!” (Mark 5:7).

“What is your name?” Jesus asked.

“”Legion,” he replied, “because we are many.”

You know the saying, “when pigs fly”. Well this is the day they did. Jesus commanded the demons to come out of the man then sent them flying into a nearby herd of swine. The entire herd (about 2000 pigs) raced down the steep bank, into the lake and drowned.

And what of the man? Before his encounter with Jesus, the tomb dweller cried out day and night, and cut him self with stones. He even broke the chains that others had used to try and restrain him. But after his encounter with Jesus, the people were amazed to see the previously demon-possessed man sitting fully clothed and in his right mind.

As Jesus was preparing to get in the boat and leave the village, the grateful man ran up to him pleading. “Please, oh please let me go with you,” he cried.

But Jesus didn’t allow it. Instead he told him to go back to his family and his village and show his scars.

“Go home to your family,” Jesus said, “and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you” (Mark 5:19).

Are we surprised? We shouldn’t be.

Jesus doesn’t comfort to make us comfortable. He comforts us to make us comfort-able. “Go back and tell,” He says. While we might want to spend our days in endless worship, He wants us to go out into the world and share what He has done…and sometimes that is to our very own families.

Is God prompting you to tell someone how He has worked in your life? Today, let’s ask God to show us just who that person may be.

Let's Pray

Dear Lord, so many times I simply want to stay in my own little world and worship You. Yet, while You do long for me to worship, You also desire for me to “go and tell.” Give me the courage to tell about all that You have done in my life – to my family, to my neighbors, and to the world. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Now it's Your Turn

What has Jesus done in your life?

How willing are you to tell others about what He has done?

Is there someone in particular you feel God prompting you to witness to today?

For more on today’s topic: Your Scars are Beautiful to God: Finding peace and purpose in the hurts of your past by Sharon Jaynes

G.I.G.

Girlfriends in God, Inc.

P.O. Box 725

Matthews, North Carolina 28106

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