Luke 8:26-33
Find a place and time free of distractions for the next 7-10 minutes. Take a moment to settle into your surroundings and then begin to recognize your breath. As you breathe in, call on the name of Jesus and become aware of his presence with you. As you breathe out, open your mind and heart to receive whatever Jesus has for you today.
As you read the first half of the story of the healing of the demon-possessed man in Luke 8:26-33 picture the scene in your imagination.
It’s interesting that the disciples didn’t question Jesus before they set out for “the other side of the lake (Luke 8:22)”, because although there were most likely some Jewish people living there, the “other side” was Gentile territory. Jesus’ destination was to an area where he was sure to encounter people who were not descendants of Abraham.
This is a partly a story of the wideness of God’s grace that is available through Jesus to anyone who hears and responds to him.
Stop to think about this. How are you emulating Jesus by purposefully going beyond your familiar circle to encounter people who are different than you? Are you willing and ready to spread shalom in words or actions among people with whom you are not familiar?
Read Luke 8:26-33 again noting anything new that stands out.
This is also a story about Jesus’ authority over spiritual forces. It is the demons who are in control of the pitiful man who immediately recognize Jesus and speak to him. And they know exactly who he is and what he is capable of.
The disciples have seen Jesus exercise his authority over illness, death, and the forces of nature, and now they observe the very powers of hell begging for his permission. If the disciples didn’t quite understand that God-in-the-flesh was traveling with them, surely they comprehend now – at least in part.
Because Jesus dwells within his followers by the constant presence of his Holy Spirit, he is closer than our breath and should be familiar to us. But Jesus is God, and because we are finite humans, there will be times when we experience Jesus in a new way and realize that we don’t know him as well as we thought we did.
Take some time to meditate on this paradox: Jesus is both intimately familiar to us and yet unknowable in a multitude of ways. Have you experienced a time when you realized that Jesus was far greater than your understanding of him?
Be still in Jesus’ presence for a while recognizing his majesty and authority over all things.
What might Jesus be inviting you to do today?
What will you do about that?
Subscribe here to receive these guided meditations free by email Monday-Friday each week. If you find these meditations helpful, please forward them to a couple of friends.
The Everyday Jesus Follower’s Guide ebook can help you learn how to recognize God's voice, how to read and understand the Bible, how to develop deep spiritual friendships, and how to become the person you were meant to be. Use it alone, with a friend or in a small group.
