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“And He did not let him, but He said to him, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.” Mark 5:19

I love the action-oriented Gospel of Mark. It’s fun to see how often he uses the word “immediately”—it’s like there’s an urgency in his telling of Jesus’ life and ministry, which is pretty cool. Anyway, in chapter 5, Mark describes an event when Jesus healed a demon-possessed man (who was actually overtaken by a legion of demons, not just one). Jesus cast out the demons, freeing this man from the torment and pain he’d been living in (Mark 5:1-20). Although the rescued man wanted to go with Jesus and His disciples, Jesus had a different plan for him: Jesus told him to go and “report what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.”

Have you ever considered this command from Jesus and what it can mean for you? For every believer—whether you’ve been surrendered to Jesus for 50 years or five days—the Lord has done great things for us! Look first at the moment of salvation. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8), paying the penalty of God’s wrath on our behalf. Because of His mercy (not giving us what we deserve), we are rescued from sin and death, being transformed into a new creation—reconciled to God and made righteous in His sight. We are recipients of amazing grace (getting what we don’t deserve). Like the man once possessed, we were prisoners to sin, slaves to fear and self. But Jesus made us free.

Then there are the countless mercies—new every morning, in fact—that the Lord provides. Miracle after miracle around us, from the breathtaking sunrise and blooming flowers to financial provision and physical healing, demonstrate constant evidence of the Lord’s work in our lives. And as we walk in the direction of obedience toward Heaven, we are being made more and more like Jesus—this, too, is a Great Thing being accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit living in us.

There is so, so much bad news in the world (and thanks to 24/7 global media, we can hear it all). If you’re like me, you probably watch the news and pine for just one good report—some positive news amid the darkness. But, friend, as followers of Jesus, we have very Good News to report! We are living testimonies to the Way, the Truth, and the Life—the freedom resulting from salvation is indisputable. And it is a bright light shining into a lost and broken world.

So, let’s act upon the command Jesus gave to the transformed man in Mark’s gospel. Starting at home and then going to all our “people”…let’s go make a good report of what the Lord has done.

“Lord, You rescued me and freed me from the bondage of sin. You have done great things and Your mercy is overwhelming. Give me the boldness to go out and give a good report.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life