I love the account of Jesus and the man He sets free from being in bondage, self harm and fear. This man had been living among the tombs of the dead and no one was able to restrain him as he just broke the chains used to bind him, and day and night would be found lurking in the cemetery or it’s vicinity shrieking and mangling himself with stones. In other words he was in pretty bad shape. Jesus arrives having had to calm a violent and treacherous storm on the way and steps out of the boat, comes ashore and in short sets the man who was possessed by a legion of demons free. Then He hops back in the boat and returns to the other side again. (Check out Mark chapter 5 in the bible for the whole story)
What amazes me is that for just one man Jesus goes to all that trouble. For one man He sets out on the water after a long day of people crowding around Him as they sought to hear Him teach, meet their needs and minister healing to them. He makes the effort to travel where He needed to be to help and demonstrate His great love not for a huge crowd of people, but for just one man so as to restore him to health and wholeness again.
That’s because every single person; every man, woman and child on the planet matters to Jesus. He sees us in our weakness and brokenness; He sees us on our good and bad days. When we rejoice He rejoices too, when we hurt He hurts also. The bible actually says He sympathises with us in our fraility and understands our humanity. Why? Because Jesus being God came as a man being tempted in every way just as we are, and then conquered sin so that we could be set free to live life as we were meant to. (Hebrews 4:14-15).
Today whatever you are facing know that Jesus knows all about it. Nothing is hidden from His sight, nor is anything too insignificant for Him to care about or want to help us with. From directing us to help us find a car park, to facing our deepest fears and weaknesses He wants to be part of our lives. To set us free from whatever is holding us back and to guide, strengthen and comfort us in our time of weariness, need and weakness.
Just as Jesus crossed to the other side of the Lake to help one man He will help you today. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) What He did for that one man He will do for you. All it takes is for you to make a decision to leave the the graveyard of your past, your weariness, your guilt, fear and whatever else you may be ailing from today and choose to come to Jesus, because He’s right there on the “shore” waiting for you.
“Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Then come to me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis. Simply join your life with mine. Learn my ways and you’ll discover that I’m gentle, humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me. For all that I require of you will be pleasant and easy to bear.” (Matthew 11:28-30 The Passion translation)
Prayer: Jesus I come to you right now and give you my life. Please would you take all the broken, weary, fearful and ugly parts of my life and make me a new person from the inside out. I’m coming out of the “graveyard” and choosing to follow you and the amazing life you have planned for me today. In Jesus name Amen.
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