Friday, June 03, 2011

Forgotten


No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been – Mark 5:19b (NLT)

Hello family, I trust all is wonderful with you, and this new month has started wonderfully for you already. I thank God for your lives and mine, and I am indeed so grateful to God for all of his wonderful works in my life.

Yesterday I was reading the account of the healing of the two demon possessed men in the region of the Gadarenes in Matthew 8:28-34 [28: When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him]. The account ended with the villagers urging Jesus to go, but nothing further was mentioned. Immediately I became restless. Why you may ask, well of all of my years of studying the bible, I never realise that there were two to begin with. In the accounts of Mark 5:1-20 and Luke 8: 26-38 only one was mentioned, and so even though I may have read the book of Matthew on more than one occasion, I did not make a mental note of it.

Then I asked the Lord Jesus, how is it that this story was told three times, but only one account mentioned that in the beginning there were two men? I thought to myself, maybe I may need to take this to my pastor, check out the bible concordance and read all the commentaries that bible scholars have to say of the matter.
But I didn’t even have to go that far. My eyes were drawn to Mark 5: 18-20 - As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. And similarly in Luke 8:38-39. Immediately I realised something. There were indeed TWO to begin with. Two had a problem, two were healed, and one was grateful for what the Lord Jesus did for him. One stayed back up until when the villagers came on the scene (Mark 5:15; Luke 8:35), this one pleaded with Jesus to follow Him, this one was the one told to go and tell his family of the goodness of God. Isn’t it amazing that when Mark and Luke investigated the story, only the account of the one that wanted to follow Jesus and who went throughout the ten cities testifying of how good God has been to him, was told. Yet the eye witness of the event Matthew told us that there were two to begin with. Dear God, only one of the two healed had his destiny justified and glorified.

Two received a touch from God, one’s account was not mentioned. He was forgotten – I don’t know if he ran away with the herd’s men, or maybe disappeared among the crowd, but one thing I do know is that I was told in Matthew 8:34 that the whole town went out to meet Jesus on hearing about the lead up to the miracle to ask Him to leave their town – while, the account of only one was remembered.

I pray dear God that even after all you have done for me, it would not end there. You have been too good to me for me to forget about your wonders. You have been so awesome to me for me to forget you generosity. Many may have been blessed in the same way I have been placed, but I refuse to have my story end with me. Oh No, by God, I will proclaim your goodness at the roof tops, I will proclaim you beauty on mountain tops, oh God I will proclaim your loving kindness and mercy towards me to whoever and whatever cares to listen.

Lord, so great is your mercy towards me, that I would be a fool not to acknowledge that. Thank you Lord for taking out the time to bless me, and make me a blessing to everyone you send my way.
Thank you Lord for all You have done for me. I love you Lord Jesus!

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Honestly oh! I've never noticed this. May God give us the grace to acknowledge Him for every little/big thing He does for us!

Adiya
http://thecornershopng.blogspot.com

Kafo said...

sometimes you spend so much time waiting for a miracle, and waiting and complaining that when it comes, you are grateful but how forgotten how to praise

so now i'm learning how to praise in the waiting, so when the blessing comes, clapping and singing aren't so awkward.

stay beautiful