“Tell them how much the Lord has done for you”

Mark 5:15-20, And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

When Moses returned from the mountain from being in the presence of the Lord, his face shone like the sun and the people could not bear to look upon him. The people were afraid and Jesus complied, but not without a witness! The former demon possessed man naturally wanted to be with him, but Jesus sent him back to tell others all that God had done for him by his great mercy. We who long to be with the Lord, to see him face to face, have been sent out as his witnesses as well. There is much that he has done by his great mercy and grace. We have been called by no virtue of our own to be his own! We have nothing to bring to him, and only to his cross we cling, receiving his amazing grace. How much has he done for me? Am I willing to tell others?

Open our eyes to see all that you have done that we may be your witnesses, that others may seek you while you may be found!

ESV Lectionary