Key Thought

Jesus is taking his disciples to new places. This particular new place was strange. The "strangeness" had to do with what they would experience at this place. This includes an encounter with a demon-possessed man. Adding to this strangeness is the place they encounter him -- near a cemetery where he lived among the tombs. If we watch the story carefully, the disciples appear to remain in the boat during this whole encounter between Jesus and this man. They weren't quite ready to take on this strange new world. Jesus is trying to teach them that he will go with them and empower them to do quite unbelievable things. The power of this experience will be one of those indelible memories they will carry with them as they face horrible challenges of their own -- challenges orchestrated by the dark lord of demons. As the Lord leads us, he reminds us that we are a pilgrim people -- always on the move toward God and away from the familiar and safe. Yet as he leads us into new places, new experiences, and new challenges, he also asks us to remember how he has been with us in the past and to be assured that he has already conquered the dark lord we so often fear.

Today's Prayer

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Almighty God, my Abba Father, give me the courage and strength to follow you wherever you lead me. I know that you have been at work to prepare me, but help me, dear Lord, to move past preparation into a time of fruitfulness. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

Jesus and his followers went across the lake to the area where the Gerasene people lived. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man came to him from the caves where dead people are buried. This man had an evil spirit {from the devil} living inside of him. This man lived in the burial caves. No person could tie him. Even chains could not keep this man tied. Many times people had used chains to tie the man's hands and feet. But the man broke the chains on his hands and feet. No person was strong enough to control him. Day and night the man walked around the burial caves and on the hills. The man would scream and cut himself with rocks. While Jesus was far away, the man saw him. The man ran to Jesus and bowed down before him. Jesus said to the man, "You evil spirit, come out of that man." So the man shouted with a loud voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you to promise to God that you will not punish me!" Then Jesus asked the man, "What is your name?" The man answered, "My name is Legion, because there are many spirits inside me." The spirits inside the man begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of that area. A large herd of pigs was eating on a hill near there. The evil spirits begged Jesus, "Send us to the pigs. Let us go into them." So Jesus allowed them to do this. The evil spirits left the man and went into the pigs. Then the herd of pigs ran down the hill and into the lake. All the pigs were drowned. There were about 2,000 pigs in that herd. The men that had the work of caring for the pigs ran away. The men ran to the town and to the farms. They told all the people what happened. The people went out to see what happened. The people came to Jesus. They saw the man that had the many evil spirits. The man was sitting and was wearing clothes. He was in his right mind again. The people were afraid. Some people were there and saw what Jesus did. These people told the other people what happened to the man that had the demonsliving in him. And they also told about the pigs. Then the people began to beg Jesus to leave their area. Jesus was preparing to leave in the boat. The man that was freed from the demons begged to go with Jesus. But Jesus did not allow the man to go. Jesus said, "Go home to your family and friends. Tell them about all the things the Lord did for you. Tell them that the Lord was good to you." So the man left and told the people in the Ten Towns about the great things Jesus did for him. All the people were amazed.

— Mark 5:1-20 (ERV)

Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.