Calms Storms, Heals Sick, Raises Dead

Prayer Practice

Lectio – Read today’s passage through once. Then spend some time praying and asking God to show you what you need to pay attention to in the text. Read it again. Now ask God to help you see what this text, and the part that has stood out, may mean for you. Don’t expect to get a clear word every time but always be ready to really hear from God through His Word.

 

DAILY READING

Luke 8:22-56

REFLECTION

Beyond Rescue – Promise of Hope

by Mary McGinnis

Today’s scripture focuses on four accounts of Jesus meeting people in a time of desperate need. In each story, the people Jesus interacts with seem to be in circumstance that are overwhelming and beyond rescue. In each one of these terrifying, gut wrenching, impossible situations, Jesus meets all of these people with a word of hope and promise! 

Take time to write in your journal today using these headings as a guide for your meditation. May these be a springboard for your journaling exploration today.

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal where God might be speaking these same questions into your life today.

• In each story, what circumstances seemed overwhelmingly hopeless. How is this a picture of things that feel overwhelming in my life?

-         A violent storm arose in the midst of the Sea of Galilee, and threatened to capsize the disciple’s boat.

-         A demon possessed man was out of control, some may say even insane. The people tried to chain him with shackles, but they could not restrain him. He lived among the tombs.

-         The woman had been helplessly bleeding for 12 years, and no physician could heal her. She was sick, frail, ostracized and financially broke.

-         Jarius’ precious 12-year-old daughter was sick and on the brink of death.

• In each story, the characters are called to believe in the face of their fears. What were their fears? What do I fear most?

-     The disciples feared their lives and their mission (and Jesus’) would be cut short         and drowned forever. They thought Jesus didn’t care.

-         Jesus left the demon possessed man to minister where he lived even though he longed to be with Jesus.

-         The bleeding woman was afraid to come to Jesus directly. She touched only the fringe of His garment because she was unclean and felt ashamed.

-         Jarius feared losing his only daughter. As Jesus was delayed, Jarius’ fears escalated while he had to wait.  

•  What does Jesus do that is unexpected. How do I respond when things don't go as expected?  

-         Jesus goes to sleep.

-         Jesus goes to this god forsaken gentile place, speaks to demons, and cast them into swine.        

-         Jesus calls out an unclean woman who touched Him amid a throng of people.

-         Jesus, makes Jarius, a high ranking official and his concerns, wait while He tends to this unclean woman.

·      How could have remembering and holding onto Jesus’ promise helped them in their fear.  What promises of God can I hold on to.

-         Jesus had told His disciples, “Let us get into the boat and go to the other                 side.”  He knew the storm was ahead and said they would get to the other side.

-         Jesus commands the unclean spirit to come out of the man. Jesus tells him, “Return to your house and declare the Great things God has done for you.”

-         Despite the woman’s fear and shame of being exposed for “touching Jesus,” He calls her “Daughter.”

-         Jarius’ daughter dies. Yet Jesus says, “She is not dead but sleeping.” And “Only believe!”

•  How did the people respond to these miracles? How do I respond when God does something miraculous in my life?

          -         Disciples asked, “Who is this?”  They were afraid.

-         People who witnessed the demons go into the swine wonder who this was.  They asked Him to leave. The healed man tells all of what Jesus had done for him.

-         When Jesus says that He could “feel” power going out from Him, at first the woman withdrew in fear.

-         Jarius and his wife were astonished at what Jesus had done.

·      What did each restoring miracle reveal about who Jesus is.  What authority did it show He had then and still has NOW?

-         The wind and waves obeyed Him. He has authority over the elements and nature     itself. He restored calm in the midst of chaos. 

-         He had command demons and the forces of evil. Restores the man to himself.

-         He had authority over this woman’s pain, suffering and shame. He had the authority to restore her to healing in all three areas.

-         Jesus has authority over death itself. He restored life! He will restore me to full life, better than I can ever imagine! 

-         Jesus could have only done this by Divine authority. Therefore, He must be GOD Himself.

Lord Jesus, in my dire, seemingly impossible circumstance, help me to cling to You and Your promises. You are the Divine authority over all things. You calm the seas, have authority over evil, shame, sickness, suffering, even death. 

You are able to restore our souls, minds, and bodies in ways we cannot fully fathom. In my fears, lead me to I trust in YOU alone, because You have conquered even death itself. I can confidently rest in Your Almighty and Eternal hands. I know you will triumphantly restore all thing to Yourself in Glory one day!   In Jesus all Powerful Name we pray! Amen! 

Jesus calms storms, heals sick, & raises the dead

 Prayer Practice

Breath Prayer – Take 2-3 minutes today to pray a simple breath prayer. Get somewhere quiet and relaxing. Breathe in deeply, and then breathe out fully. As you breathe in, ask God to fill you with His presence, grace, love, peace, etc. Consider using the list of spiritual fruit in Galatians 5:22-23. As you breathe out, offer to God the things you need Him to take from you – sin, doubt, shame, anxiety, fear, etc. Pray this way for just a few minutes, trusting God to work, and then begin reading today’s Scripture.

DAILY READING

Luke 8:22-56

REFLECTION

What is Your Name?

 by Kelsey Bacon

There is a lot going on in this passage; we read several stories of Jesus' ministry, some very radically different stories of how he worked and healed and brought the kingdom. And though each of these stories is very different, I want to look at the last three and draw and common thread.

The first of the three is the story of Jesus casting out demons from a man, and sending those demons into some pigs. The second is the story of a woman who touches Jesus' robe in a crowd and is healed of her illness. The third is the story of Jesus bringing a young girl back to life. In each of these stories, Jesus is healing in very different ways and from very different things. In the first, he is driving out spiritual evil. In the second, he is healing physical wounds. And in the third, he is literally reversing death and returning life to a person. But each of these stories have something in common: they all place importance on the name of the one being healed. And even though we never learn the actual names of any of them, the names that Jesus speaks are vital to the story, to their identity, and to ours.

In the first story, the possessed man has been living with these demons for some time now. We know from other such stories in the Bible that similar people were shunned from the town and were outcast as crazy people. But when Jesus sees this man, he knows that his actions and his words are not who he is. He asks, "what is your name?" And the man doesn't answer with his own name, but the demons answer with theirs. Because Jesus sees who this man truly is, and he sees the dark work that the devil is doing in him. People assumed he had gone insane and didn't want anything to do with him, but Jesus saw the truth. He saw the evil spirits that were wreaking havoc on his child. In this story, the name is important, because it is not the man's true name, and Jesus sees that and Jesus rectifies that. And then the man knows what his God has done for him.

In the second story (which is one of my favorite stories in the entire Bible), a woman who had suffered bleeding for twelve years encounters Jesus. When she reaches out to Jesus, she is so humble that she doesn't even ask him for healing, probably didn't think herself worthy of speaking to him. But she is healed immediately, and when Jesus speaks to her, he calls her "daughter." Imagine this woman who has been in pain and suffering for twelve long years, who has heard many people tell her that she will never heal, who has probably been in poverty due to her condition and maybe even an outcast in her community due to her unclean nature. And now Jesus, the Son of God, looks her in the eyes and calls her "daughter." She now has value, she now has a place, has unconditional love from an unconditional God. Imagine how life-changing that moment was for her, and not just for her bodily healing.

The third story is similar. When Jesus reaches out his hand to lift the little girl out of bed he says, "My child, get up!" This child is no longer just the child of a synagogue leader and his wife. She is the child of the one true King, a daughter of the Savior of the universe, a member of his family. Not only does he bring her back to life but he gives her an identity that is better and more real than any she could ever have.

So as you ponder these stories, pray and ask God, "what do you call me? Who am I in you?" Because our name in Jesus, our identity in him, goes far beyond anything of this world.