Jesus Keeps Knocking

Mark 5:15-20 (ESV)

And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

Jesus had healed this demon-possessed man and sent the demons into a herd of pigs—which ran the pigs off a hill and into a river. As a result, the people begged Jesus to leave their region.

Jesus doesn’t force himself on people when He’s not wanted; yet, He doesn’t stop knocking either (Revelation 3:20). Just as Jesus sent the man back to his people as a living testimony of the goodness and power of God, so does He do today. When people push Jesus away, He often uses other people (and their stories!) to knock on the doors of hearts.

Maybe you’re like the man in the story who had been healed and wanted to leave where he was and go with Jesus. Maybe you feel like you’ve begged God to move you somewhere else, but He’s left you where you are. If that’s you, then it may be that God still wants you where you are because there are people (or a person) in that place for you to reach. Maybe God is leaving you where you are because He’s commissioned you there!

Or maybe you’re fighting discouragement because someone you love keeps pushing Jesus away. If you’re believing for someone to accept Jesus, then don’t give up hope. Jesus keeps knocking.