“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 strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.” Mark 5:19, 43 ESV
Reflection: to whom are you sharing of what God has done for you?
July 4, 2026, is the 250th anniversary of the United States. On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was officially adopted by the Second Continental Congress, marking the thirteen colonies’ declaration of independence from Great Britain. Many famous and well recognized individuals like Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin were present, even key to the writing of this independence declaration, as well as to the debate among this early congress. And, they did agree, all 13 original colonies, to become independent from Britain. To this day, you can go visit the place where this all happened, where this continental congress met, debated and adopted this declaration which changed world history. While we can read about it,
can you image being taken back in time, to be present at this debate, knowing the significance of it?
Perhaps even have a chance to meet and shake hands with all these famous people. I’m sure most of us would have shared all sorts of details about the event, the speakers, who were arguing for and against independence, their demeanor, perhaps even down to what they were wearing that day. It would be hard to sit on information from such a significant event. But what if we were told as a condition to be present, not to tell? It would be difficult, as we would have all this great, first hand knowledge. Or, what if we were told the opposite, that we had to go tell, what would be the details we would want to share?
Mark chapter 5 consists of two healing events; really 3 since the second one has two events interwoven. The first one is of a demon possessed man living in caves on the east side of the Sea of Galilee. We learn that this man had not only one demon plaguing him, but 2000. A legion. After Jesus tells the demons to leave him, he wants to follow Jesus. But Jesus “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.” Mark 5:19 ESV. Jesus wanted him to be a witness in the area to what happened to him, how the Lord had released him from this bondage. And he did, as Mark writes “And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.” Mark 5:20 ESV. Notice where this took place- Decapolis is present day Syria and Jordan.
The second and third stories from Mark chapter 5 are also of healing, but of physical healing. We learn first that the daughter of a synagogue leader is deadly ill. Knowing how much the religious leaders, Pharisees and scribes, hated Jesus, this man must have been totally desperate for his daughter. He knew the risk of coming to Jesus for help. So Jesus decides to go to his house. On the way there, Mark writes of a third healing story that happened. A woman with a bleeding disorder touches Jesus clothing in faith and is healed. But let’s focus on the synagogue leader and his daughter. The daughter ends up dead before Jesus makes it to the house. But, Jesus raises this 12 year old girl from the dead, to the amazement and marvel of all those around. Jesus demonstrates His authority over life and death. But then something very unexpected happens. Jesus
“strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.” Mark 5:43b ESV
Why in the world would He do that? And, specifically to this event as we do not see the same direction given to the man nor the woman He had previously healed? We can only speculate, but most likely it had to do with timing. Because later, in a more public event, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. And we see Him saying things like “my time has not yet come”, so we understand that God has a specific sequence of things, in the fullness of time.
So what are we to learn from this?
Obedience. We need to listen to, and follow what the Lord wants us to do, not what we want to do. Whether that is to tell our story, or be quiet for a time until He is finished preparing whatever He is doing. We need to be “in tune” with what He is saying and doing. If we want to tell our story, give a testimony, but unclear if the timing is right, a simple check for us is to ask ourselves why we want to tell it, and whom are we trying to glorify? Ourselves, or God?
