When I was 15, I thought I knew everything I wanted out of life. Then I grew up and matured and understood so many more things, and at 22, I really knew everything I wanted out of life. You'll never guess what happened later... I still think about Garth Brooks' old song Unanswered Prayers. There's so many things in my life that I thought I wanted, only to discover later that there was something better in store.
The demon possessed man has been healed by Jesus, and he begs Jesus to be able to follow him. It's fascinating to contrast him to others who come to Jesus reluctantly and are sent away by Jesus -- which should teach us that Jesus never comes to us with blanket guidelines about how to act in every situation, but rather knows us intimately and with nuance and challenges us each differently based on our own life circumstances.
It's curious, but Jesus doesn't let the man accompany him on his journeys, but instead sends him back to his home to testify to God's work in his life. It's not what the man expected, but that's the next step in his walk of faith. It's not what he would have expected, but that's where Jesus calls him at that point in time.
God has a call for you, and it may not be what you expect. It may not be what imagine. But that's where God needs you. It's not the same for everyone. One person's ministry looks very different than another's. God knows us uniquely and calls us individually to love and serve in our own unique way.
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