The Journey (short version)

by Don Hatfield

Mark Chapter 5

  The Road of Grace

  Jesus Heals a Man with a Demon (1 - 20)

  I know that I have told you before of Jesus casting or calling out demons from tormented souls but what I am about to relate now goes far beyond that. We had come to the other side of that wild sea ride and had gone ashore in a country called Gerasenes. As soon as our feet touched down on the sands one of the largest men I had ever seen came running towards us full speed. He must have stood 6' 8" tall with not an ounce of fat on him anywhere. His arms and legs were like the branches of large trees. As for the rest of his appearance his hair was down to his waist and matted together with what could have been nothing else but dirt, leaves and what might have been cobwebs. His hair looked as if it had once been black but was now a dull gray. His beard which was about 2 feet long was the same color as his hair. His legs, arms, and torso were filthy dirty and in some areas covered with slime. It looked as if he had been eating with pigs. I looked closer and could see that the slime was also encrusted in his beard. His hands were as large as bread baskets with nails about 6 inches long which were covered with dirt as if he had been digging with them. From one of his nails dangled a raw piece of meat of some kind. But what frighten me the most about this giant of a man were his eyes, they were the blackest black I had ever seen and even though it was daylight they glowed with an evil light. He had run out of the tombs where he lived and I wondered if these dark openings did not lead straight down into the depths of Hell. Needless to say if Jesus had not been there I and the others would have taken off running for the man had pieces of shackles hanging from his wrists and ankles where people had tried to chain him to no avail. As he stood before us he had a large sharp stone in his hand and was rubbing it against his raw skin and in some places he was actually bleeding from the cuts. As he stood there before us he cried out in a loud voice or should I say voices at the top of his lungs, "What have you to do with me Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God do not torment me." Jesus had been saying to him come out of him you unclean spirit and then to my surprise Jesus asked him his name, not the man but the spirit. To my greater surprise the spirit answered him and said my name is Legion for we are many and this powerful demon or man or both begged Jesus not to send him or them out of the country. They instead begged Jesus to let them go into a nearby herd of pigs. I could not see what shape or form came out of the man but I knew that something came out because the next thing I knew the pigs numbering about two thousand took off down a steep bank and fell into the sea where they drowned. Were these things so foul that even an animal would rather die than have their company? People starting running everywhere and there was complete chaos but when I turned back to Jesus there was this giant of a man kneeling and weeping at Jesus feet. Jesus had his hand placed on the man's head as if the man were a small child. Then the most surprising thing happened something that hurt me and the others very deeply. All the people came out from town and saw the man sitting there cleaned up, in his right mind, and fully clothed and they did the most unbelievable thing. They asked Jesus to leave, I could see the hurt on His face but He said nothing He just got in the boat and we with Him. One was grateful though as we began to row away the now gentle giant of a man came running after us and begged to go with us. Jesus told Him go and tell others who want to hear how much God has done for you.

  Jesus Heals a Woman and Jairus's Daughter (21 -43)

  After we crossed back across the sea a great crowd gathered about us and it was here in that great crowd that I begin to believe that Jesus was the Son of the one and only true God. It was here that I begin to believe that he was the Savior of the world. One of the rulers of the synagogue a man named Jarius saw Jesus and literally fell at his feet," my little daughter is at the point of death. Come lay your hands on her so that she may be made well and live." Jesus started to go with him when something amazing happened. It touched me so deeply that I can hardly tell it without tears coming to my eyes. For as the crowd thronged around him jostling and shoving I saw small woman trying to make her way up to him from behind. As she slowly got closer and closer I saw her timidly reach her hand out and touch the hem of his garment. She then quickly withdrew her hand and started to fade back in to the crowd. Jesus suddenly stopped, he then said," who touched my garments?" One of the disciples said to him look at all the people and yet you say, "Who touched me?" The little woman made her way back to Jesus. I could see her trembling as she fell down before him and said," I knew if I just touched your garment I would be made well and I knew as soon as I did that I was made well. Jesus said back to her," daughter your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease." I could feel the tears streaming down my cheeks as I watched the little lady with her face aglow fade back into the crowd and just then one of the servants from the rulers house came and said to Jairus, "your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further? "Jesus in turn said," do not fear, and only believe. "He went to the house of the ruler allowing only Peter, James and John to go with Him. Later Peter told me that when they got there people were crying and weeping everywhere. Jesus asked them why are all of you weeping the child is not dead but sleeping. Peter told me that everyone begin to laugh when Jesus said this so he put them all outside except for the child's mother and father. Peter said he took the little girl's hand and said," little girl, I say to you, arise" Peter said before their very eyes the little girl's eyes opened, she then got up and began walking. Then Jesus told them that they should tell no one and He then did most common thing, He said give her something to eat. I have now come to believe that this man Jesus is God, in the flesh. I also believe that He has come to save sinners such as myself. That night I professed this to him privately while we were walking by the sea he put his arm around me and we prayed there together to the God who created the heaven and the earth.