Freedom-Worth Running For

As I’ve been thinking this past week about those things worth running for, I reflected on the story in the Gospels, but specifically the account in Mark, about the demon-possessed man who lived in the tombs. There aren’t a lot of accounts in the Bible where people actually ran. That’s why I think this one touched me so much this week. Because what I see in this story is how the freedom of our soul is worth running for.

Jesus has just spent the night out on the boat with his disciples. A storm had come up and they were petrified and he had stopped the storm and reprimanded his boys over their lack of faith. And now it’s morning and Jesus steps out on to the shore and the first thing that happens is a demon possessed man runs and worships him.

Now, before you get fearful that I’m about to do a discourse on the origin of demons, have no fear. There are two things I’ve always tried to steer clear from, dead people and demons. But I do know what bondage looks like. And I’m not sure in all of scripture if anyone was ever in need of freedom more desperately than this man at this moment.

We’re told that he spent all day and all night living in the tombs, walking in the mountains and as he walked around he would scream and beat and cut himself. How many different ways can you say tormented? But there is something so beautiful even in the midst of his torment. When Jesus got close, in spite of the demons who were wreaking havoc on his body and soul, something inside of him still realized the power that Jesus held and he didn’t walk to him, he didn’t run from him, he ran toward him and didn’t stop there. We’re then told that he fell on his knees and worshipped him.

How is that? How is it that someone can be so in bondage to their sin and so controlled by whatever vice of choice Satan has craftily snared them in and when Jesus gets near this man, who doesn’t have the wherewithal to get out from among the dead things, or to quit abusing his own body, can run to Jesus and fall at his feet and worship him?

I think the secret is found in Ecclesiastes 3:11 “God set eternity in the hearts of man.” What does that mean? Basically, God set us up. When he created us, He placed inside of us an eternity, God shaped hole, that only He could fill. And no matter what we've tried to fill it with, it would never be satisfied until it found the one who had actually created the void, knowing that only He could fill it.

There is a sermon in this passage that I can’t post here on this blog. But for this moment, this is the message. I’m not sure what torment might have a death grip on your soul. I’m not sure what dead things you might have made your home among. Maybe it’s the torment of your past, the pain of regret, or the vice of shame. Maybe it’s addiction or anger or adultery. But whatever it is we have to realize that God didn’t make His children to live among things that are dead and diseased and life killers. He created us to live among things that are living and life giving.

The other thing He needs us to know is that He is right here. He’s gotten out of the boat, stepped onto the soil of our hearts and is letting us know that He has freedom for us. He has the ability to truly set us free. Heal us in our deepest places and put us back in our right mind, in right relationship, in our rightful position.

You and I won’t get a lot of opportunities in this life worth running for. But if you are in desperate need of freedom, of healing, of wholeness, that my friend is a prime opportunity for running. Run to Him. Don’t walk. Don’t think about it. If you spend too much time doing that then the “accuser of the brethren”, the one who got you to this place of torment, will convince you that freedom isn’t available, or worse yet you’re not worthy of it. Trust me, freedom is always available and their isn't one of us around worthy of it!

Run today. Don’t walk. Don’t think. Don’t process. Just run. And when you do you will find that He is right there. Standing on shore. Right at the doorstep of your tomb…And He whom the Son has set free is free indeed.

One last thing, the most amazing thing to me about this passage of scripture is that not even the demons that lived inside of him, and they were numbered as legions, were capable of preventing him from running to Jesus. I think that makes the old saying true, "not a demon in hell will stop me." This is one man who wouldn't even let demons prevent him from being free.