The no one or nothing in the darkness
When we look at our life, sometimes it can make us depressive, having us feel the “emptiness“, the missing of like-minded people.
How many of us do not build upon many aspirations, hopes, dreams and expectations?
Our head tolls from the many questions we have going one ear in and one ear out. And every moment we try to look to the right or to the left it is like we are getting hit by a boxing glove.
Noticing it looks like we are alone with our faith in Jesus and the coming Kingdom, we sometimes feel abandoned. Though we should know God does not abandon us, like He did not abandon Jesus. But Jesus also had a moment to despair and was calling onto his heavenly Father crying unto HIm, why He had left him.
46 About the ninth hour, Jesus called out with a loud voice, saying: “Eʹli, Eʹli, laʹma sa·bach·thaʹni?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”+ (Matthew 27:46)
Like Jesus crying out from the wooden stake, we also have moments that we want to cry to God. Yes, it might happen to any believer that he or she questions God’s presence. It is understandable that we can have such moments that we have doubts about ourselves, about our faith, about God.
It is in such moments of doubt, in moments of fear and despair, that we are invited by our Creator and Sustainer to seek hope. He has given us His Word to give us daily food, to be able to go step by step and day by day. That Word of God we can take it up every moment of the day. It is God’s Love letter to us. From that great Book of books, we should be able to receive strength and hope. Hope comes from our trust that even when we don’t feel like God is present, God will show up for us. Often when we feel most abandoned, hurt and broken, we shall come to remember those moments as the ones where Jehovah God has shown up most powerfully for us. Those are the moments that shape our life and our faith.
Like Jehovah God had not forsaken Jesus, He shall not leave alone those who love Him.
28 For Jehovah loves justice, And he will not abandon his loyal ones.+ ע [Ayin]They will always be guarded;+ But the descendants of the wicked will be done away with.+ (Psalm 37:28)
Even when God might be with us, we can have that feeling to be just on our own with our faith, being surrounded by a majority who does not want to know about God or the Biblical Truth.
Constantly we seem to be confronted with an emptiness that draws us into the darkness. Sometimes it feels like we are a “no one”, or a “nothing”.
Without being someone and without having someone around us, we remain unfulfilled and incomplete. Our instinct wants us to mix with others. We are not made to be alone.
This primal instinct to be something is what drives our efforts towards avoiding being nothing.
The threat of which is the root to losing ourselves to the distraction of everything, when we lose hope of ever being something…to someone…but not just anyone. {Elusive peace…}
When we get older, this seems a bigger problem, than when we were young. Then comes a time when we want to scan our life and want to see what we established. How much effort we put in things and into what it resulted. What is clinging to our memory? What do we find worthwhile to remember?
Around us we see so many people who seem to be more successful than us. They can get a lot of listening ears, eager to hear their philosophies which give people only a shade of what they would love to see. Though we do know they can not offer that comfort or assurance that we love to offer people, because we live by our hope in Jesus Christ. Constantly we are confronted by those people who find that their way is the best way. But what they do not see is that what we want them to come to see: the way that seems right for so many men its end is the way of death.
We live in that world full of vanity, where man even thinks he can play for god and create whatever he wants.
20 For the creation was subjected to futility,+ not by its own will, but through the one who subjected it, on the basis of hope+ (Romans 8:20)
23 For the wages sin pays is death,+ but the gift God gives is everlasting life+ by Christ Jesus our Lord.+ (Romans 6:23)
In this world, we do even have to struggle against those who say they are Christian but do not want to recognise who Jesus is and how important it is to I believe in him who God called His beloved son.
25 Jesus said to her: “I am the resurrection and the life.+ The one who exercises faith in me, even though he dies, will come to life; 26 and everyone who is living and exercises faith in me will never die at all.+ Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26) 6 Jesus said to him: “I am the way+ and the truth+ and the life.+ No one comes to the Father except through me.+ (John 14:6)
8 12 Then Jesus spoke again to them, saying: “I am the light of the world.+ Whoever follows me will by no means walk in darkness, but will possess the light+ of life.” (John 8:12)
13 “Go in through the narrow gate,+ because broad is the gate and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and many are going in through it; 14 whereas narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are finding it.+ (Matthew 7:14-15)
22 There they strengthened the disciples,+ encouraging them to remain in the faith and saying: “We must enter into the Kingdom of God through many tribulations.”+ (Acts 14:22)
18 “And if the righteous man is being saved with difficulty, what will happen to the ungodly man and the sinner?”+ (1 Peter 4:18)
All those who believe that Jesus is the son of God and the way to life, let them strengthen each other. Let us all be conscious that the road leading off into destruction is a road taken by the majority. When not being part of that majority we should not worry so much, because we should know there is Someone Who wants to carry us over the swamps and deserts of this world.
Let us not get the sand of the desert in our eyes by the many false teachings which encircle this materialist world. Instead of being a little grain of sand let us stick together as a lump of earth and join hands as sowers of productive seed.
44 It is sown a physical body; it is raised up a spiritual body.+ If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual one. (1 Corinthians 15:44)
Let our voice keep going through the air and into the darkness so that somewhere a person might see the little spark of light.
We always should be aware of the importance of our own free choice. We always shall have to come to decide which way to go, the broad way of the world or the small way of God.
The question comes down to who will I believe. Will I trust the world that can give no guarantees and an uncertain future?
Or will I trust the sent one from God who proved himself by paying for my sins on the stake, dying in my place, and then arose from the dead in victory just as he said he would (Matthew 17:23, 20:19, 28:5-6)?
He too felt at moments on his own. He, too, had to trust his God. He put his own will aside for doing the Will of his heavenly Father.
Are you prepared to put your own will aside to do the Will of God?
Are you willing to go into the desert, like Jesus did, to talk about God and to spread the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God?
When reading the Scriptures we shall become aware that Jehovah God is really the only One Whom we fully can trust. By the knowledge that He is trustworthy and faithful, we should get more trust in Him and allow HIm to take away our fear and sad, depressive mood. With Him in our heart, we shall not be disappointed.
5 To you they cried out, and they were saved; They trusted in you, and they were not disappointed.*+ (Psalm 22:5)
10 Finally, go on acquiring power+ in the Lord and in the mightiness of his strength. 11 Put on the complete suit of armor+ from God so that you may be able to stand firm against the crafty acts of the Devil;+ 12 because we have a struggle,+ not against blood and flesh, but against the governments, against the authorities, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the wicked spirit forces+ in the heavenly places.+ 13 For this reason take up the complete suit of armor from God,+ so that you may be able to resist* in the wicked day and, after you have accomplished everything, to stand firm. (Ephesians 6:10-13)
When we accept Jehovah’s help and rely on Him completely, we can succeed in opposing the adversaries of God. When we can have the same kind of confidence that the apostle Paul had. He wrote:
“If God is for us, who will be against us?” (Rom. 8:31)
So, let us step out of the darkness, stretch out our hands to those who also love Jesus and his God. Let us join forces and focus most of our attention on learning about Jehovah and serving Him.
In you I hope all day long. ז [Zayin]
(Ps. 25:5)
+
Preceding
When feeling alone, afraid to connect with others in order to grow in faith
The Nazarene master teacher learning people how they should behave
As Christ’s slaves doing the Will of God in gratitude
++
Additional reading
- Lonely so lonely
- Fear, struggles, sadness, bad feelings and depression
- This was my reward
- Trouble in my brain
- Walking through the valley of the shadow of death
- A ruffled mind makes a restless pillow
- What loneliness is more lonely than distrust?
- In defence of Doubt
- A person is limited only by the thoughts that he chooses
- Life’s challenges may not paralyse you
- Faithfulness when most necessary
- He Becomes a Fool Through His Endless Desire
- Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement
- A Million Ways To Live: Al Muhyi (The One Who Gives Life)
- He who beams never walks in the dark
- Confidence
- Hope begins in the dark
- It is not try but trust
- Give your tears to God
- Crying and trusting ones do not get disappointed
- A Living Faith #1 Substance of things hoped for
- Jesus son of God or God the son
- The Prophets Inquire into and Testify About Salvation
- A new decade, To open the eyes to get a right view
- Gospel or Good News
- Good News Breakers
- Bringing Good News into the world
- Preaching of the Kingdom
+++
Related
- The Void In Us
- Lonely… Empty… Why ?
- “Empty”
- Emptiness
- Emptiness “The space in time experienced as Emptiness is the predicate for Inspiration.
- An emptiness inside of me
- Why have you abandoned me?
- Ache
- Do you think Loneliness and Emptiness are two same words?
- When I Get Lost in My Loneliness
- Treatments for Depression
- A Conversation with Lama Shenpen about Emptiness and the Heart Sutra
- Emptiness Versus Hope
- A Moment’s Worth of Peace
Mark 5 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 5:1-10 – Demon ‘Legion’ Expelled
CHAPTER FIVE:
A DEMON EXORCISED, A WOMAN HEALED,
AND A DEAD GIRL RAISED
[“Crowds Follow Miracle-Worker”]
Mark 5:1-10 – Demon ‘Legion’ Expelled
|| Matthew 8:28-34;[1] Luke 8:26-39
MK5:1 Now when they arrived on the other side of the sea they beached in the land of the Gadarenes.[2] MK5:2 And when Jesus stepped ashore instantly a man with an unclean demon approached him from among the graves. MK5:3 [This person] was living among the tombs and no one had been able to bind him, even with chains. MK5:4 For though he had been bound with shackles on hands and feet, he would snap the chains and break them to pieces. Nor could any one ever control him. MK5:5 He always stayed in the mountains and among the tombs day and night, shrieking and cutting himself with sharp stones. MK5:6 However, when he saw Jesus in the distance he ran up to him and fell at his feet.[3] MK5:7 And then he screamed at the top of his voice: “What is there between you and me, Jesus,[4] you Son of the Most High God?[5] I beg you before the God[6] not to torment me!”[7] MK5:8 Then Jesus said to him: “You unclean demon, come out of this man!” MK5:9 Then Jesus asked him: “What is your name?” And he answered: “Legion,[8] because there are many of us!” MK5:10 And the man kept begging Jesus again and again that he would not expel them from this country [of the Gadarenes].
*
[1] Matthew 8:28-34: For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Matthew.
[2] Gadarenes: Some manuscripts have “Gerasenes.” Possibly an area out of Gerasa.
[3] Fell at his feet: Some versions say “worshipped” but the Greek is PROSEKYNESEN [bow + kiss] and means a respectful prostration. Whether is actions was generated by the poor man himself, or the demons within is not clear.
[4] What is there between you and me, Jesus: A statement of repellency suggesting there is no relationship between the two. It is likely the demons speak. Compare notes on this phrase in John 2:4. The man would not know who Jesus was but those who inhabit him do.
[5] Son of the Most High God: Possibly a reference to their knowledge of Christ’s pre-existence** among the sons of God. [Job 38:7; Proverbs 8:22-30] For details on the pre-existence of Christ compare notes on John 17:5. The demons do not call Jesus “God.”
[6] The God: TON THEON as in John 1:1b.
[7] Torment me: The English conveys a different idea than the original which has the idea of imprisonment or punishment. The other accounts mention the “abyss.” [Revelation 20:3]
[8] Legion: Or, 6,000!
**
Opposite to the Nazarene Friends and the idea of the translator of the Bible Version The Nazarene Commentary (Mark Heber Miller), the Christadelphian Biblestudents do not believe in such a pre-existence of Jesus Christ.
+
Preceding
Matthew 8:28-34 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Demon-possessed of the Gadarenes
Mark 3 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 3:7-12 – Crowds Follow Jesus
Mark 4 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Review Questions on Chapter Four
++
Additional reading
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Bible Quotes, Bible study, Christadelphian, Jesus Christ, Jeshua Messiah
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