Psalm 93:3-4 > "The floods have risen up, O LORD. The floods have roared like thunder; the floods have lifted their pounding waves. But mightier than the violent raging of the seas, mightier than the breakers on the shore - the LORD above is mightier than these!" (NLT)
The devastation of hurricanes lately have left us speechless. The flood waters that have claimed homes and taken lives are innumerable. Our hearts have grieved with those that have been in its path. Tears flowed as we thought of the loss of so many and for so many.
I found myself glued to the TV watching to see where the hurricane was going to hit next. Praying that it would not be us and then feeling guilty because it would be someone else. I knew wherever it was going to land would be bad.
Hurricane Irma scared me. She was big. It seemed as if her size was never ending! I couldn't help but be mesmerized by her size and intensity. She was strong. It was like she'd been caged and finally set free. Her waters seemed to devour land as if she were hungry in search of food. Yes, Irma scared me. She seemed powerful.
God's Word has such sweet nuggets tucked inside that remind us of who He is and the strength He has. Although Irma was mighty, God is mightier. Let's not forget that either.
***Continue to pray for all those that have been affected by this active hurricane season.
In awe of Him,
Vonda
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Saturday, October 14, 2017
Not Even a Storm
Mark 5:15a >
“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;”
On the other side of the lake lived a man who was in need of deliverance.
The disciples didn’t know about it, they were just going where Jesus said. Nothing
was going to keep Him from where He was needed…not even a storm.
The story that unfolds
sounds calm. There is no hint of Jesus needing to be at a particular place. We
would even think by reading the passages of Mark 4 that things fell into place
and just happened. There’s not a hint of urgency or a mission. But we all know
that things do not “just happen” when Jesus is involved. There’s always
purpose. And most of the time there is someone with an urgent need.
Jesus was teaching by the
lake and a large crowd gathered around Him. So He got into a boat while the
crowd remained on shore listening. I can’t help but wonder how He was able to
be heard. I suppose that if you really want to hear what someone has to say you
pay attention and keep your focus on them. You learn to block out any noise
other than the voice of the one you are trying to hear. It’s difficult but yet
it can be done. I wonder if the children that were present (if any) just knew
to be quiet and sit still? Did they want to hear Him, too? What a challenge
that could be! But this was Jesus. A challenge wasn’t really a challenge for
Him.
The day was drawing to an
end and it was time to go. Jesus said, “Let’s cross
over to the other side of the lake” (Mark 4:35). It was His decision to
leave; and it was His decision to where they would go. That’s very important to
understand. First glance at reading the verse, it doesn’t stand out to be of
importance. It sounds like an idea without a purpose. Kind of like a random
thought. However, where Jesus wanted to go was very important; there was nothing
random about it. There was a reason He wanted to go to the other side. His
disciples just didn’t know what it was. So by boat, they went.
During the journey, a
fierce storm came upon them. (ESV Study Note on Mark 4:37: The Sea of Galilee
is 696 feet below sea level, resulting in violent
downdrafts and sudden storms.) High
waves violently crashed into the boat and it began to fill with water. Fear had
overtaken the disciples. It makes my heart race as I think about their
situation. They were truly afraid they were going to drown. Each time the boat
was engulfed by a wave, their fear escalated. Who could blame them? During the
day a storm is bad enough but at night it’s so much worse!
As fear overtook the
disciples, much needed rest had overtaken Jesus. The wind tossing the boat
around and the crashing waves had not kept Him from sleeping. After all, He
knew there was somewhere He needed to be and a storm was not going to keep Him
from getting there. In fear for their lives the disciples woke Him up. Jesus
rebuked the wind and spoke to the waves then everything was calm. It did not go
unnoticed by the disciples that even the wind and waves obeyed Him.
On the other side of the
lake lived a man with an unclean spirit that lived among the tombs. He was a
terror to society. No one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. He’d
often been bound with shackles and chains but had violently twisted the chains
apart and broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him.
Night and day he cried out and cut himself with stones (Mark 5:1-6). If anyone
was in desperate need of a Savior, this man certainly was! And Jesus knew it.
John 6:44a > “No one can
come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.” When he saw Jesus get out of the boat from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of Him. (Could the unclean spirit quite possibly have been overpowered by this man’s desperation for deliverance? Could that desperation cause him to run to Jesus and kneel? If the Father draws him it can!) Before Jesus told the unclean spirit to come out of the man it knew who He was. With a shriek, he began to scream at Him, “Why are You interfering with me Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg You, don’t torture me!” (NLT v.7) Jesus demanded what his name was and he replied, Legion, which meant there were many of them inside the man. (Can you imagine being held captive by that many?)
How long had this man
lived in such bondage? How long had he been able to truly live? Did he have
family? Did they miss him? Had they written him off, so to speak? Did anyone
even care? So many questions come to mind as my heart aches for this man. He
lived alone among the tombs, among the dead, where there was no life. He spent
his days and nights crying out and painfully cutting himself with sharp stones.
He was in urgent need of deliverance. And Jesus wanted to deliver him. Not even
a storm would keep Him from doing so.
The unclean spirit kept
begging Jesus not to send them out of the region. They didn’t want to leave. There
was a large herd of pigs nearby feeding on the hillside. The demons begged
Jesus to let them enter into the pigs. So He gave them permission. When they
entered into the pigs the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned!
Jesus and the now delivered man looked each other in the eyes. Can’t you just
picture the look of adoration and gratitude on the man’s face from being set
free? Feeling something he’d never thought he’d feel again? Can’t you just see
the tears from freedom flowing? Can’t you just picture Jesus with His arms
extended and His eyes filled with love? Can’t you see this man embracing the
One who gave him new life?
This is the place where a
lump forms in my throat. The next time the man was seen, he was sitting with
Jesus in his right mind; being tormented no more. Now he is able to live among
the living and no longer among the dead. The other side of the lake had
purpose. There was someone there in great need. And Jesus fully intended to go to
him. Nothing was going to keep Him from that…not even a storm.
In awe of Him,
~ Vonda
***Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for coming to our rescue. For coming to
where we are in our bondage to set us free and for being willing to meet us in our
most ugliest of places. Lord, there have been times that I didn’t think freedom
was possible and You proved me wrong and set me free. Oh how grateful I am, Lord.
Help us to walk in that freedom and never allow it to shackle us again. Thank
You, Lord, for Your great love. In which we cannot fathom. May we never forget
that it is for freedom that You have set us free. ~Amen
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