The Authority of the Savior | Daily Devotion #83
Mark 5:6
“When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him, ran to meet him, and bowed down low before him.” Mark 5:6
What do you do when life confronts you with challenges? You can handle challenges in several different ways, but the best answer lies in simply running straight to Jesus.
In this passage from Mark 5, the authority of Jesus becomes undeniably evident as even the demons kneel before him and acknowledge that he is the Son of the Most High God. The lordship of Jesus is recognized even by His adversaries! They are bound by his power and have to have permission to do anything because nothing stands outside of his sovereign authority.
The possessed man ran quickly toward Jesus, hoping that he could save him. Taking his possession to Jesus resulted in transformation, but there’s another important lesson here and that is the call to submission. This is not the kind of submission that represents defeat. It is instead a submission that signifies trust in Christ’s power.
I’m reminded of the story where Peter and the other disciples had been fishing all night but hadn’t caught anything. They brought the boat in only to have Jesus walk and tell them to boat the boat back out so they can go fishing again. Peter was of course exhausted and probably didn’t want to go back out. After all, they hadn’t caught anything. But here’s what he said: “But Lord, at your word…”
This exemplifies trusting the authority of Jesus even over your own understanding.
Today, maybe you need to acknowledge the authority of Jesus not just as a distant concept, but as an active practice of bowing and yielding yourself to his lordship.
This was adapted from a recent sermon by my pastor.