"Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, 'Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.' And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him." Luke 8:38-39This is a message that might seem a little harsh at first.
Jesus has told so many to drop everything and follow him, but this man whom he had just healed he sent away. The man even asked to follow. However, that's where we need to look at our own ideas.
The man had been through a struggle, hosting demons and living in the cemetery. He was suffering some of the craziest things we could think of. So, now that he's back to his senses, it would make sense for him to follow Jesus as a disciple. But Jesus calls us to follow him in so many different ways. The important fact here is that Jesus is showing that following will be difficult. Just because one thing has passed doesn't mean that everything else is going to be very light and easy. Look at Paul's or Peter's life if you want a better example.
The other thing is a question of understanding. The man wanted to be near Jesus because Jesus saved him from evil. Jesus, in turn, explains how he can always be with him: proclaiming the Gospel. We seem to forget the many ways Jesus is walking right next to us. We deceive ourselves into thinking that Jesus is only with us when we're at church or in the middle of prayer. The truth is that Jesus is with us everywhere. It's only our choice whether we feel his presence or not. When we proclaim the Gospel and live it, we will feel all the good things that are Jesus. Therefore, Jesus sends us out every day so that we can proclaim the Gospel and acknowledge that he is with us, every step of the way.
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