“But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit” (KJV, Mark 5:6-8).
“But when he saw Jesus”
Father, would You fix my eyes on Jesus this day? So often, I get distracted and take my eyes off my Savior. So often, I can be like Peter, who stepped out of the boat and was ready to go toward Jesus.
However, he quickly took his eyes off Jesus and began to sink. The Bible tells me that I must look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of my faith. Elsewhere, I read of how I am changed into the image of Christ as I behold His glory in Your Gospel message.
Sin blinds my eyes. Would You please forgive me and cleanse me?
Teach me to look to Jesus as the Israelites looked to the bronze serpent in the wilderness and were given life. It is easy to fall into the snare of thinking that I only look to Jesus to be saved and that now I have enough to accomplish what You ask me on my own. Help me never to forget that I need Christ all the time. Christ came as the life and the light of the world. I will only find life and light in Him.
“afar off”
Sometimes Christ can seem distant. Sometimes I can let my emotions get the best of me. I see emotional Psalms written in which the Psalmists inquire of You and speak of being afar off. Help me understand the difference between Your manifest presence and Your presence.
Jesus, You told me that You would never leave or forsake me. The Bible tells me that the Spirit of God dwells within me and that I am never truly alone. However, I sense times in which You seem far away. While you are always with me, I pray that You help me abide in You uniquely. Show me how to stay close to You and not disrupt our communion in this life.
“he ran”
I pray that I would run toward You during my times of feeling distant from You. Teach me to pursue You despite my feelings and emotions. Teach me that You are always near and that I must lay hold of that truth by faith. Show me what it means to seek Your face.
Burden my heart with a strong desire to read Your Word and seek You in it. Burden my heart for prayer, not simply so that my requests will be granted, but for the enjoyment of spending time with You. Rid me of dullness in my Christian life and cause me to long, above all else, to be with You.
“and worshipped him”
You are worthy of being worshipped, God. You alone are God, and there is no other. You alone are worthy of praise, honor, and glory.
The book of Revelation tells me, “The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Rev. 4:10-11).
You have created all things and have lived forever. I cannot fathom such an amazing reality. You are worthy of my worship.
“And cried with a loud voice”
Would You please take heed to my prayers? Arise and be quick to save me from the enemy. I need You each day, and I plead with You for Your assistance. When I seek to walk in your commands, I often fail. When I seek to do Your will, I come up short. I thank You for the merits of Christ. Would You please empower me by Your Spirit that I might live for You? Please fight off the enemy and be my place of refuge.
“and said, What have I to do with thee”
I am a sinner before a holy and just God. What have You to do with me, Lord? You are good, and I am not. You are holy, and I am unholy. However, I am holy, righteous, pure, and clean in Christ. In Christ, I have been made a new creation and am given the ability to walk in Your ways.
It is amazing to see that You sought me amid my sin. I am undeserving of Your love, but in that, Your love is magnified. I deserve punishment, but, Lord, You have displayed Your forgiveness.
“Jesus,”
Jesus, You are my Savior, and I look to You. Help me to fix my eyes on You and keep them there. You are the Bread of Life and the Fountain of Living Water. You are the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. You are the Good Shepherd and my Great High Priest. You are the promised Prophet, Messiah, and King.
You came to earth and took on flesh. You came as one hundred percent God and one hundred percent man, fully God and fully man. You lived under the law and fulfilled the law perfectly. There was not one sin that could be attributed to Your life.
However, You died a sinners death, and it is said of You that although You knew no sin, You became sin for me. You took my sin upon Yourself and died in my place. You took upon Yourself the wrath of God and the curse I deserved. You were buried in a tomb and rose on the third day, defeating death and conquering the grave. You ascended into heaven and now sit at the right hand of the Father.
You are worthy of being praised.
“thou Son of the most high God”
Jesus, You are the Son of God, but You are also God the Son. You are the second person of the Trinity. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, You are equal in Your nature but distinct in Your person, three persons in one God.
Jesus, You fully submitted to Your Father’s will, and in Your life, I find life.
“I adjure thee by God”
I plead with You, Jesus, to abide with me this day. Stay near to me and make Yourself known. I am not satisfied knowing that the Bible tells me You abide within. I pray that You would give me faith to receive Your promises in my actual experience. You did not work many miracles in Nazareth because of their unbelief. Increase my faith and teach me what it means to receive Your promises in my everyday life.
“that thou torment me not”
Father, Your Word tells me, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). Elsewhere I read, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:23).
While I have sinned against You and deserve death, You have made a way for me to be right with You. Your Word tells me that through Jesus Christ, I can inherit eternal life.
You did not give the angels a second chance when they disobeyed You. Instead, they have forever been deemed unclean spirits and demons. They were cast out of Your presence with no hope to return. Thank You for forgiveness and reconciliation through Christ.
“For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit”
Jesus, I see Your healing hand throughout the New Testament. You made the blind see, and to the deaf, You gave them the ability to hear. You cleansed the leper and cast out demons. The mute You made to talk, and the lame You made to walk. I need healing, but I am encouraged that You are the Great Physician. Please would You extend Your healing hand my way? In Jesus’ name, Amen