When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. (Mark 5:6)
Think about the last time you felt truly desperate. Perhaps you had come to the end of your bank account, the end of your patience, the end of a dream job or an important relationship. You were out of options—perhaps even lonely, jaded, filled with anxiety, and out of hope. Your struggle had no end in sight. Maybe you are there now.
Reading today’s passage, I try to imagine myself in the place of the demon-possessed man. He was living alone in caves, so tormented and out of control he had become a harm not only to himself but also to others. The text notes how he would “cry out and cut himself with stones”—his desperation so evident he couldn’t even keep it inside.
And then he saw Jesus.
A man who had been abandoned, chained, tortured by the demons within, recognized in a moment his salvation. Barefoot and afraid, he made a beeline for Jesus and threw himself in the dirt at the Messiah’s feet. Jesus did not look away but instead set the man free. Desperation became the man’s deliverance.
No situation is too big for our God—no feelings, thoughts, or actions beyond his love and redemption. When we find ourselves desperate, may we follow in the footsteps of the demon-possessed man, drop everything, and run to Jesus. For he alone is Jehovah Rapha, our healer.
Believe Jesus is who he says he is, and run to him.
Sarah E. Westfall is an author, speaker, and graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University. She resides in Indiana with her husband, Ben, and their four boys. She really wants a nap.
© 2020 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
