What Jesus Did! 'God's Will Must Be Done' — Luke 8:40-42

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

On the other side of the lake the crowds welcomed Jesus, because they had been waiting for him. Then a man named Jairus, a leader of the local synagogue, came and fell at Jesus' feet, pleading with him to come home with him. His only daughter, who was about twelve years old, was dying.

As Jesus went with him, he was surrounded by the crowds.

— Luke 8:40-42 NLT

Key Thought

Jesus was on the east side of the Sea of Galilee when he cast the demons out of the man, and they went into the pigs. The folks there were afraid of Jesus and asked him to leave, [1] but other people were waiting for him on the west (Galilee) side. These crowds longed to be with Jesus because they expected him to work miracles for them. One man, an important man in the community, was particularly anxious for Jesus' return. His only daughter was very ill, and he wanted Jesus to come and heal her. However, Jesus was mobbed by the crowds. On the east side of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus had faced demonic opposition and misunderstanding that led to rejection. On the Galilee side, he faced the problems of popularity and acceptance that were based on a different kind of misunderstanding, thinking of him as just a miracle worker. In many ways, these stories are opposites. Even the final commands in the two stories are opposite. [2] These stories represent the wide-ranging styles of attack that Satan uses to try to ruin the work of God. Jesus, however, ensured that God's work was done no matter the circumstance.

[1] Luke 8:37.
[2] Luke 8:39, 56.

Today's Prayer

Give me faith, O God, that you will work in all of my life's situations for your glory and my good. I believe you can help me overcome any obstacle, problem, or temptation that Satan throws my way. Please show your victory in my life. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • Romans 8:28-30
  • Philippians 1:6; 2:13
  • Jude 24-25

Comments

Archived Facebook Comments

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Wednesday, May 24, 2023

Spiritual Warfare
A daily devotional about God's power for our battles.
'Come to the Lord for the Rest You Need'
"Come to me, all who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Place my yoke over your shoulders, and learn from me, because I am..."
Praying with Paul
Features the apostle Paul's writings turned into daily, powerful prayers.
'My Life, God's Message' (2 Co. 3:3-6)
"Dear Father, all-sufficient God, Let me be a letter from Christ written to people who need to hear the Good News, written not on paper with ink but....."
God's Holy Fire
A daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
'A Long Gaze into Glory' (Ac. 7:55)
"[Just before Stephen was stoned:] But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the..."
A Year with Jesus
A devotional to help reclaim Jesus as the daily Lord of our lives.
'ASK!'
"Dear Child of God, James, my half brother, hit the nail on the head when he taught about why My people lack so many of the simplest and yet most..."

Illustration

Illustration of Luke 8:40-42 NLT — As Jesus went with him, he was surrounded by the crowds.

About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

More What Jesus Did!