Daily Devotions
Thursday, June 19, 2025
Luke 8:26a, 27a, 28, 30, 35, 37b, 38-39 – Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes … When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met Him a man from the city who had demons … When he saw Jesus, he cried out, … “What have You to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me.” Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him. … Then [people from the city] … found the man [whom Jesus set free from demons], sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. … So [Jesus] got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with Him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.
I love this story for its ending—because it’s the only place in the Bible I can think of where Jesus says “no” to someone who wants to follow Him and be with Him. Instead, Jesus sends the man back to his city, saying, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And the man does just that—but do you see the change in the wording? “He went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.”
The man is right, of course. Jesus is God, God the Son—and it is absolutely right for this man to praise and glorify Him for saving his life and making him well again. It’s right for us to love and worship Jesus for the same reason. We may not have ever suffered from demon possession, but we’ve been in a situation just as bad—enslaved to sin, lost in the darkness of a world without God. If you were baptized as a baby, you probably don’t remember that experience. I do remember—because I came to faith when I was older. Trust me, it’s not a place you want to be!
When you realize just what Jesus has done for you, what is more natural than to want to be with Him every minute of the day? And we can—because we don’t have to choose between Jesus’ presence and obeying His command. During our lifetime, Jesus is ascended to the right hand of the Father; and at the same time He is keeping His promise to be with us always, “to the end of the age.”
That means we can do both things at the same time. We can go and tell our friends and neighbors all that Jesus has done for us—how He came to bring us back to God, how He lay down His own life on the cross to take away our sin and shame, and give us forgiveness, peace, and joy. We can tell them how He rose from the dead, and that He gives everlasting life for all of us who trust in Him. And at the very same time we can cling to Jesus with all our hearts, trusting and loving and following Him every moment of the day.
WE PRAY: Dear Jesus, thank You that You are with me forever. Teach me how to let people know the wonderful things You’ve done for me. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
- What has Jesus done for you?
- How can you cling to Him in love?
- Ask Him to help you tell others about Him.
Today's Readings:
Proverbs 25-26Acts 4:23-37