Session 39

How has Jesus changed your whole life?

From Mark: A 6-Week Devotional

Sometimes life leaves us in anguish — head down, beaten, and without hope. Dreams of becoming something or someone great seem so distant. You wanted to accomplish so much and had every intention of making a difference, but instead, you were left broken and trapped in a seemingly endless cycle of chaos.

In desperation, we cling to worldly things that give us hope of a new beginning. New jobs, cities, houses, cars, relationships — they all fill the void briefly then fail to sustain our desire to break from our past.

In Mark 5, we meet a man scorned by the people around him, doomed to live the rest of his days in bitter seclusion. But when he met Jesus, all of that changed. How did the once wrecked man respond to Jesus' offer of a new beginning? "He went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed" (‭Mark‬ ‭5‬:‭20‬).

When we meet Jesus, He changes our present as well as our future. He fills us with love for Him and for the church. Like the demon-possessed man, we are moved by a desire to see the same change and restoration for others. So we bring them to the only place and to the only One who can completely restore our fragile potential. We bring them to Jesus. 

Reflect:

• How has your life changed since you started following Jesus?
• Who was most influential in your decision to follow Jesus? Maybe it was the person who invited you to church for the first time or challenged you to consider Christianity. How did God use that relationship to change your direction?
• Who do you know who needs a relationship with Jesus? How can you get them to a place where they can hear about Jesus?