LET JESUS CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS
LET JESUS CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS
Where is your address?
Where do people find you?
Where do you go when you are tired, exhausted or overwhelmed?
Do you have a happy place?
Do you have a safe and secure place?
The concept of “place” in this article refers, not only to a physical space but also to ones state of mind or emotional space; and the questions above are some that I would have loved to ask the following people before Jesus found them.
I cannot imagine how blind Bartimaeus felt when he woke up every morning. Everyone knew where to find him: begging by the roadside. What a place to live. People walked past him all the time and some never even noticed him talk less of tossing a coin or two his way. What a life to be confined to. But one day Jesus found him and changed that address. He never went back there again.
There was a lame man who sat by a healing pool, waiting to be the first to jump in whenever an angel stirred the waters. But because he was immobile, this never happened and as a result he remained that way for thirty eight years. How had he not even died of anger, frustration and hopelessness, all those years? That was the man at the pool of Bethesda. And then Jesus showed up for him one day and gave him a brand new address that was not affiliated to the Bethesda pool.
The story was told of a woman of means, well she used to be, but one could no longer describe her as such because she had spent all she had going from hospital to hospital and she never got any better. She had an issue of blood and had become an outcast according to her culture and tradition. An issue of blood for twelve years? What could possibly even be left of her self esteem? The stigma would have been unbearable. Then one day she heard that Jesus was in town and she was able to touch the hem of His garment and zappp.. power from Jesus dried up the flow immediately. She was changed forever in that instant and so was her address.
And then there was a mentally unstable man whose address was at the cemetery. This was not an intercenter of sorts, he just roamed around among the tombs and kept inflicting injury on himself. As a matter of fact people avoided him because he was very dangerous to be around. This was the Gadarene demoniac. But Jesus travelled to meet with this man and brought him back to his right mind after He sent out all the demons that had possessed him.
I believe that the changes in the lives of these ones would have been so clear. All of them had once lived in dark places; literally and mentally. They would have been dealing with all kinds of negative emotions from feelings of loneliness, pain, shame and rejection. But one day, Jesus came and changed their places.
Blind Bartimaeus was never again found by the roadside begging for alms. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.” Mark 10:51-52 NIV
The lame man by the pool did not remain there after his meeting with Jesus. “Jesus saw him lying there, and he knew that the man had been sick for such a long time; so he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” Jesus said to him, “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk.” Immediately the man got well; he picked up his mat and started walking.” John 5: 6 & 8 GNT This lame man also did not return to that place. He left Bethesda instantly.
What about that poor woman who could barely stand after continuously losing so much blood? Her own encounter with Jesus turned her life around for ever.
“And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, ‘Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.’ And the woman was made whole from that hour.” Matthew 9:20-22 KJV I can just see her dancing for the rest of her days after this life changing encounter.
As for the man who was completely possessed by demons, his restoration was so dramatic. A whole legion of demons had taken up residence in him. He was constantly self- destructing, cutting himself; he would have been a sight! But Jesus came for him. The legion of demons was cast into a herd of pigs which ran crazy immediately. And the man became an evangelist proclaiming what Jesus had done for him. (Mark 5: 1 – 20)
None of these ones remained the same.
Jesus touched them and was not contaminated by what they had.
He touched them and healed them.
He touched them and restored them.
He touched them and made them whole.
He touched them and set them free.
Jesus has not changed but He can change our address if we need to relocate. One of the things He came to do is to call us out of the darkness and into His light. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9 NIV
Dear friends, Jesus is all we need at this time. He will change our address from any place of confusion, disease, depression, hurt, pain, torment, trauma and all hopelessness and bring us to a new place. “Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.” Psalms 66:12 KJV
PLEASE DO NOT REMAIN IN THAT DARK PLACE. IT’S NEVER WORTH IT. COME TO JESUS AND LET HIM CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS.
OLUYINKA EGO-MARTINS ©