One

Mark 5:1-17  So they arrived at the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gerasenes.[a] 2 When Jesus climbed out of the boat, a man possessed by an evil[b] spirit came out from a cemetery to meet him. 3 This man lived among the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain. 4 Whenever he was put into chains and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones.

6 When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him, ran to meet him, and bowed low before him. 7 With a shriek, he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had already said to the spirit, “Come out of the man, you evil spirit.”

9 Then Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”

And he replied, “My name is Legion, because there are many of us inside this man.” 10 Then the evil spirits begged him again and again not to send them to some distant place.

11 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby. 12 “Send us into those pigs,” the spirits begged. “Let us enter them.”

13 So Jesus gave them permission. The evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd of about 2,000 pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.

14 The herdsmen fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. People rushed out to see what had happened. 15 A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. 16 Then those who had seen what happened told the others about the demon-possessed man and the pigs. 17 And the crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone.


This is one of my favorite of Jesus' miracle.  This poor man, living alone, outcast in a graveyard among the dead. Hurting, physically, emotionally, mentally.  It's heartbreaking.  No comfort or company.  Void of love and even the living.  But God....  It's a wonderful story of Jesus' deliverance.  But I realized something pretty amazing as I reread this account for our Sunday morning Bible study recently.  One.  That man was the one.  The one Jesus came for.

Jesus knew that the people in that area would not accept His presence.  He knew they would send Him away.  Yet still He stopped there anyway.  He heard the cry of the one.  And He came.  And He healed and delivered.  He came for one man.   And He hears your cry. And my cry.  He hears us, as individuals, as "ones."  The ones He loves.

Luke 15:4-5  What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not  leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it.  And  when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.  

So God reminded me in this visit, of His love for each of us as individuals.  His care is personal and specific to each of our  needs, each cry of our hearts.  He hears and comes for the one.  We are the one.