Day 4

Jesus Rescues, Restores & Heals

from the Mark reading plan


Mark 5:1-43, Acts 9:39-41, James 2:19

BY Bailey Gillespie

It was mid-afternoon when I sat on the crinkly white parchment paper, swinging my legs like a five-year-old. I’d taken half a day off work to make the appointment. For four years, my stomach hurt every single day, and no amount of dietary changes, supplements, or prescriptions could alleviate it. I was desperate to be healed. So, I sat in the cold doctor’s room and waited for a new diagnosis.

In Mark 5, we find two very different scenes where Jesus interrupts the lives of people who also needed to be healed. 

After Jesus casts out demons from a man they possessed, He tells him, “Report to them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you” (Mark 5:19). This exorcism was worth broadcasting all over town because Jesus didn’t just heal the man by wiping out all memory of his demonic bondage. He gave him a story of mercy—one that amazed everyone who heard it (v.20).

Next, we meet a woman who had a bleeding disorder for twelve years (v.25). In a tender moment that makes me want to cry, we’re told that this woman touched Jesus’s clothing and then “sensed in her body that she was healed” (vv.27, 29). Can you imagine the reaction she must have had after carrying around this messy, unwanted affliction for so long, as well as the frustration of countless medical dead ends (v.26)?

Just like the demon-possessed man, her healing was not meant for her alone. It was another story of mercy to be passed down, so that people like you and me, and those who come after us, can learn about the character of our Savior. 

Jesus is absolutely concerned with our physical healing, but He cares most about our spiritual healing. He cares about our wholeness. As believers, we have received the staggering gift of spiritual reconciliation—which means when we accept God’s love, He extends His mercy through Christ and restores our hearts to Him without the barrier of sin. 

Although I haven’t yet been healed from my physical ailments, without a doubt Jesus has rescued, restored, and healed my heart. Time and again, He has consoled me with the comfort of His presence in my darkest nights. He has rescued me from myself through the kindness and intercession of others. And, quite honestly, even in the moments when I’m too hurt to receive His comfort or perceive His presence, I have these stories in Mark as a witness of His rescue. They help me believe. 

The Lord has done amazing things for us, both seen and unseen. His mercy changes the trajectory of our lives. Even demons shudder at the power of Jesus (James 2:19), and this same power is what dwells inside us through the Holy Spirit. Let’s keep talking about the things God has done for us that amaze us. Let’s help each other believe. 

Post Comments (97)

97 thoughts on "Jesus Rescues, Restores & Heals"

  1. Shannon McGuffin says:

    “Let’s help each other believe.” I love that line. If we don’t share our answered prayers with others, we can’t increase one another’s faith. ❤️

  2. Cee Gee says:

    Don’t be afraid. Only believe. Mark 5:36.

    Great to be reminded of the power and position of FAITH in our lives. Hard to fully understand that when we think God isn’t responding to our needs in accordance to our expectations. Thank you, BAILEY, for sharing your experience and how Jesus heals your heart even though you aren’t healed of your affliction and how we should focus on these written examples of faith and all the ways He reaches out to us.

  3. Rhonda J. says:

    God bless you Melanie! I pray in accordance with you for healing, and for myself as well! For the back and leg pain to dissipate. Amen

  4. Melanie says:

    I pray daily for my healing and the healing of others. Continuing to believe for my healing

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