Tell
October 31, 2011
Today’s reading: Mark 5,6 NASB
SCRIPTURE
“Go to your people
and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you and how He had
mercy on you.” - Mark 5:19 NASB
OBSERVATION
Really?
Did Jesus just ask this man to share his life story with others? “To report to them what great things the
Lord has done and how He had mercy on you” -vs 19. Hmmm.... What in my life is worth sharing with
others? What qualifies as “worth”
sharing? Is it the bigger story / the
better story? What is the ultimate goal
of sharing my personal life story - I mean why share?
Let’s jump back into the text - Mark 5:
“1 They
came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes. 2
When He got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean
spirit met Him, 3 and he had his dwelling among the tombs. And no
one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain; 4 because he
had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn
apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces, and no one was strong enough to
subdue him. 5 Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the
tombs and in the mountains, and gashing himself with stones. 6
Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him; 7
and shouting with a loud voice, he *said, “What business do we have with each
other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment
me!” 8 For He had been saying to him, “Come out of the man, you
unclean spirit!” 9 And He was asking him, “What is your name?” And
he *said to Him, “My name is Legion; for we are many.”
Jesus is asking this man who was once
know as the “Gerasene Demoniac / Crazy” (Gerasene = a geographical region) to
tell others what he did for him. Yep.
My story in comparison with this guy
from “Gerasene” just doesn’t compare... but does it need to?.... No two stories are exactly alike and no two
people are made one hundred percent (100%) identically - why then do I quickly
compare?
APPLICATION
Two questions:
1) What has God done from me? A) Restoring
my wife from P.T.S.D. (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) via professional
counseling & Him extending mercy, grace & knowledge. B) Helped me with
addictions. C) Re-established identity / confidence. D) Restored relationship
with lost / valued friendships. E) Restored dreams.
2) What is God doing for me? A) Helping me
unlearn some misconceived / unbiblical values: “hard times equal God’s mad at
you / you’ve done something wrong” - FALSE. B) Weakness are realities within
everyone. C) No one will care for you and your family as much as YOU. D)
Restoring relationship, hope, and dreams.
Bottom line: I need to write things
down more often. Why? Personal encouragement and so that I can tell
others what God has done and is doing in my life; so that, I do not merely live
a life that masquerades around the dance floor of life.
Is my life really affected /
transformed by Your Word / living according to Your ways? Or, am I living out a pretentious facade in
relations to Your Word / Your ways? God,
I hope neither are true but feel as both are at times.... Help me stay close and connected to You today
as once again I clearly see where I fall short. - Trevor
What would be your life application to this text?