Luke 8:38-39 – The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return home and tell how much God has done for you." So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him. (NIV)

The conclusion of the gospel story about Jesus healing the demon-possessed man has always intrigued me, because what happened after he was delivered is so similar to my own story. The cured man wanted to follow Jesus, probably because he was so thankful for having regained his senses. After years of being excluded from his own community, he knew that he could trust Jesus, so he wanted to become a disciple or a servant to help Christ with His ministry.

In my own life, I felt that same thankfulness when Jesus rescued me from alcoholism. I was enslaved to my addiction, and even though I knew that I was harming myself physically, as well as mentally, I could not liberate myself from the chains of compulsion. It took a life-changing moment of trusting Jesus completely before I was released from my obsession. I couldn't have escaped my drinking problem without Christ's grace and peace. When I understood what Jesus had done for me, I just wanted to serve Him like the demoniac.

Although the healed man wanted to serve in the presence of his Saviour, Christ had other plans for him to serve Him. Jesus told him to go back and share his amazing experience with his own community. The people there were fearful of Jesus because of His almighty power, so Christ gave the man a personal mission and an individual calling to return home to his people as a witness to God's mercy and grace. Instead of being afraid of Jesus, the cured man could convince them of God's compassion and love.

This is a challenge for all of us — to be effective witnesses of Christ's love to our own people, our own families, our own friends. Whatever goodness that God has wrought in each of us through Christ, we are meant to share it with others and not just to keep it to ourselves. We live in a broken world where madness is creating a lot of fear in our communities. Christ can heal this, too, but only if we are willing to share faith, hope, and love in compassionate ways to repair the damage around us.

Point to ponder: How do I share my faith with my own community?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You came into our lives to heal our brokenness and restore us to God's love. Encourage us to become personal witnesses of the healing and hope that You bring to the world. In Your holy name, we pray. Amen.

Having had a career in biology, I know that scientific discoveries provide compelling reasons to worship God. For example, the structure of DNA defies chance assembly. Yet until one of the world's most renowned scientists, Stephen Hawking, died in 2018, he was an outspoken atheist. He apparently died devoid of any religious sentiment, but he had a strong belief in science. In his book, The Theory of Everything, he wrote, "If you believe in science, like I do, you believe that there are certain laws that are always obeyed. If you like, you can say the laws are the work of God, but that is more a definition of God than a proof of his existence." He also wrote, "We are each free to believe what we want, and it's my view that the simplest explanation is that there is no God. No one created the universe and no one directs our fate. This leads me to a profound realisation: there is probably no heaven and afterlife either."

My faith journey has been different than that of Stephen Hawking. Whereas he believed only in science and natural causes, I believe in the Word through which all things were made. Stephen Hawking believed that science could not prove that God exists, whereas I believe that each of us is born with the ability to call on God and to know that He is there.

If Stephen held onto his convictions to the end, then he died an atheist. By denying God, Stephen Hawking's life unfolded as predicted by the apostle Paul:

Romans 1:20-22 – For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools. (NIV)

Christians, too, will die, but we will leave this world knowing that "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16 NIV) My career in science greatly fortified my trust in Scripture, and on many occasions, I was prompted to worship the almighty — but very personal — God. A scientist like Stephen Hawking cannot see God in the evidence, and will foolishly conclude that "there is probably no heaven and afterlife either."

As Christians, we know the good news. Let us continue to proclaim this good news to a world full of intelligent people making foolish decisions.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for the wonders that You have created and for giving us the scientific ability to explore how they work. May the wisdom of Your works and the truth of Your Word grow within us, until all questions are answered when we meet You face to face. Amen.

Daniel 3:12 – There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. (KJV)

On the day of our final exam in the university, it is a tradition that we each wear a spotless, shining, white vest, called a "white", and carry a permanent marker to sign on each other's white. Once we begin our journey to our hostels, anyone who sees us may choose to ask for our marker to sign on our white — strangers and friends alike. Afterwards, we have those white vests filled with signatures as mementoes of the day that we dropped our pens. This seems to be a nice tradition and fun way of rounding up years of reading, sleepless nights, and travails, but the story doesn't end there.

I had my own opinion about this tradition: it didn't resonate well with me. So, on that last day of exams, I chose not to wear a white vest. Instead, I wore a purple vest. I felt that it was hypocritical to carry a marker around for people I never knew to sign. Also, because I am an introvert, I felt that it was too stressful. So, there I was in my purple in a sea of white. Various people were asking for my white vest. Even one of the invigilators asked me, "Where is your white?" At that moment, I understood how hard it is to stand against what everyone else is standing for; it was hard.

Listening to a sermon about the three Hebrew men who didn't bow down to the idol made me remember this event. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego remained standing when hundreds of thousands — if not millions — were bowing. Everyone could see them literally standing for their conviction. Today, this would be true Christianity. In essence, they said, "If we die, we die, but we will not worship an image." I just feel pumped thinking about that — such courage!

These days, most people think that it's best just to conform to what others are doing in other to avoid insults and discrimination. But the Bible shows us how we should behave: we should stand for the truth. Is it at home? In school? At the workplace? At a reunion event? Or even at church? Maybe your spiritual leader is going against what the Scripture says. Please build up courage and stand like these Hebrew men.

Stand and speak like they spoke to Nebuchadnezzar, with conviction and courage. God will give you the wisdom that you need. Standing against everyone and for the truth will not be easy, but the truth will set you free.

Prayer: Father, give me the courage to stand for the truth at all times. Amen.

Psalm 121:1-2 – I lift up my eyes to the mountains — where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. (NIV 2011)

A year ago, I was diagnosed with a ten-inch hernia that could not be operated on until I lost 100 pounds. So far, I have lost 40 pounds, but because of the hernia, I cannot exercise or even walk very far. Last Christmas Day, the hernia aggravated some veins on my abdomen, and I had to go to the emergency room where I bled non-stop for seven hours. I have a mountain to climb!

When people look at mountains, there may be three types of reactions. Some may see the beauty and majesty of God as they look at the firmness and magnificence of a mountain. Others may see the beauty, but they feel that the mountain is something that they need to conquer, and they think of the great feeling that they will have when they reach the crest. Still others may look at the mountain, shake their heads, and think, "Not another mountain. I just don't have the strength to climb again. What can I do?"

No matter which of the three reactions that we may have, God is the same. God is the One Who is our firm foundation, the Creator of all things and the One Who reigns supreme. He is also the God Who makes us more than conquerors, because there is nothing too difficult for Him. He gives us feet like those of a deer so that we can climb the mountain and be triumphant:

Habakkuk 3:19 – The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. (NIV 2011)

He is also the God of the mountains, the One Who never sleeps, the One Who keeps us safe under His shadow, the One Who gives us new strength and mercy every day, the One Who is with us always, and the One Who gives us victory after victory and takes us from glory to glory. We don't climb those mountains alone. He asks only that we trust Him every step of the way. We need to walk in His footsteps.

Isaiah 40:30-31 – Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (NIV 2011)

Prayer: Lord, remind us that no matter what type of reaction we may have when we encounter a mountain that needs to be climbed, we can put our faith in You. Lord, You are not only the God of the mountains, but You are also the God of the earth and the heavens. Help us to look to You for our strength, victory, and mercy. We will climb that mountain with Your strength, and we will know that You are greater than any mountain. Amen.

1 John 5:19 – We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one. (NLT)

When people say that they are hostage to something, it means that they are being involuntarily controlled by some outside influence. Sometimes, I feel like I'm being held hostage by forces over which I have no control.

The recreational vehicle park in which I live was bought by a large corporation in 2021. Since then, we've had five managers, three activity directors, constant upheaval with remodelling, and conflict between administration and residents, as this company tries to figure out how to do business in a situation for which they have no previous experience. What used to be a pleasant place to live is not anymore, and there is nothing that I can do about it, except move. I like my house, and my family lives here, so I remain.

On top of all this, inflation is rampant. Gas prices are constantly rising without warning or apparent cause. A bag of groceries is now triple the price of a year or two ago. But I still need gas and groceries, so I, like the rest of the world, pay, despite my worry about finances.

Government leaders pass laws that are completely contrary to biblical principles or that waste millions of dollars on programs and purposes that benefit only their own selfish ambitions. Christians in government positions are constantly stymied in their efforts to make the right decisions. I pray for our leaders, but otherwise, I am held hostage by their actions.

2 Corinthians 4:4a – Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe. (NLT)

We shouldn't be surprised at any of this, as throughout history, mankind has rejected God and been deceived by Satan. It started in the Garden of Eden and continues unabated. Satan actively participates in blinding the eyes of those who don't believe in Jesus and thus have no desire to come to Him or do what is right in His eyes. But there is hope!

1 John 5:4-5 – For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. (NLT)

This verse tells us that we can win this battle by putting our faith in Him, trusting our lives to Him, and letting the Holy Spirit lead us. We may not see resolution in our time, but we will have the ultimate victory when we reign with Jesus in heaven. He said:

John 16:33 – I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. (NLT)

Because Jesus is victorious, so will we be! Hallelujah!

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, that You are in control. Help us to look to You as we deal with life's difficulties. Amen.