Return Home

“The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.”

— Luke 8:38-39

Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King,

This man had a TESTIMONY! He had encountered You, the Messiah, and had been set free from a life of demonic oppression enslaved to the enemy of his soul. You gave him a new life, an abundant life, a changed life that was walking, talking evidence of what You can do! Then when he wanted to follow you, you sent him home. You knew his greatest impact was going to be with those who knew who he once was and would see who he had now become.

Lord, why do we resist going back home? The people and places that know us best—all our stupid mistakes, all our immature actions—I don't want to face them. I don't want to return home. Because to do that means surrendering pride. It means facing what once was in order to reveal what now is. It means confronting old relationships in order to share a new relationship. It means coming back to my old family of origin to give invitation into the new family of God.

Gracious Lord, today I surrender who I was and where I came from in order to reveal who I now am and where I am now going. Let the testimony on my lips be told far and wide. May those I encounter back at home hear how much Jesus has done for me!

In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen!

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