There is this fascination in our culture today with zombies, shows like The Walking Dead, Vampire Diaries, etc. While I’ve only watched one zombie movie ever in my life and I’ve never seen TWD or VD, I see people posting about them on Facebook. Standing in lines I hear people discussing these types of shows, so I know there is a huge interest.
While I may not be interested in those stories, I did come across a story last month that was so vivid that it’s suck with me since. I still remember the lesson and it is inspiring me even more today. This story I read is about a man who was possessed by demons for most of his life. He was so vicious that he would even cut himself with rocks! I’m sure he was depressed, scared, lost…
This man was clearly an outcast of society. I mean in all fairness, I wouldn’t want to associate with someone that was so wild, physically out of control that he’d hurt himself. Think about it, how does one even cut himself with rocks? How many of us walk outside and walk on rocks barefoot without much problem? Sure, we’re careful and sure sometimes we happen to step on a jagged edged rock, but does it really break the skin? Imagine the strength this man had to have in order to puncture his skin with a rock.
The demons were powerful. Supernatural. They had to be in order to make him act the way he did. The public would chain him, but he couldn’t be bound, even breaking apart irons on his feet. This man had an opportunity. He saw hope in the distance. He took a step in faith that could change his life forever.
The man ran and fell at the knees of someone he heard was the Son of the Most High God. In some awesome ways Jesus took those demons out of him. You should totally go read the story and let it fall fresh on your ears, Mark 5:1-20.
Jesus healed this man of his demons. He healed a man that society didn’t want anything to do with. Maybe this man was a father separated from his wife and children. This man may have been a woman’s son she thought was going down the wrong path and yet she had to let go of because the demons were too powerful for her to help manage. After meeting Jesus and witnessing Him heal, the man pleaded to go with Him.
What did Jesus say? Clearly this guy wanted to go and worship and do some work with Jesus as a repayment. Jesus didn’t say, “Sure come on board.” No Jesus said, “Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, how how he had mercy on you.”
Wow. Jesus just said, “No.”
The lesson in this: Jesus restores and then says go.
This is huge!
God saves this man and tells him to go. Just like when we are saved and baptized–go and make disciples. We go through terrible experiences. When we seek Jesus, we find healing and restoration, but that’s not it. The buck doesn’t just stop at healing. What’s that he said, again? Oh yes, “Go.” We aren’t restored to just be restored. We are restored so that we will go and tell of what the Lord has done for us.
I look at myself and think how many times I want to just be healed of a sinful nature. I want to be of my food addiction. There are so many other things I just want. Then how many times do I just stop there? Do I thank God? Yes I do. But do I go and share? Do I share in the opportune times to others in my life? Do I use the gift God granted me to bring community amongst fellow believers?
