Jesus Revives Hope In Disappointed PeopleSample

In his first lucid moments, the formerly demon-possessed man knew he was transformed. Normally he roamed but suddenly found himself seated at Jesus’ feet. He used to live naked among the dead, but discovered he’d been clothed. Jesus was the undeniable agent of this drastic end of misery. His arrival, command, and generous miracle precipitated such radical change that the man could not bear to let Jesus out of his sight. 

Like a frightened child whose father must leave for work, this man stretched his arms upward for safety and begged to be taken along. His hope was in Jesus. His longing was the supernatural response of a soul plucked from hopelessness. He held no affection for his former life, and if he had known the words of our Sunday school songs, he might have sung, “No turning back, no turning back.”

We have the urge to applaud him for wanting to be with Jesus. So it comes as a shock to read, “As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him…” Despite pleading, tears, and maybe an account of what he feared might happen when Jesus left, “Jesus sent him away…” 

With furrowed brows and mouths agape, we empathize with the disappointed new believer because we want him to be with Jesus, too. What better place for a rescued soul to flourish than in the presence of Jesus and with the support of his disciples?

An earthly father can console his child with warm promises of his return, but Jesus promises his uninterrupted presence. Like all of us, this man needed the supernatural presence of the Holy Spirit to accomplish the mission Jesus assigned him. The deliverer departed but the deliverance stayed, and at some unrecorded moment the presence of the Holy Spirit empowered him to go and tell all that God had done for him.

Perhaps God’s call is not to a mission trip on a boat with a team to the other shore, as we might have hoped. Some are commissioned to return to estranged family and friends as living proof of God’s transforming power. Either way God is glorified, His power demonstrated, and our hope and certainty is revived as we have the joy of telling all that God has done to rescue us.

RESPOND: How have you seen God demonstrate His power and plan when your plans have been redirected?