ESOCS Devotional 21 June 2026 – Celebrate What You Have
MEMORY VERSE: “Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again.” Luke 8:37 KJV
TEXT: LUKE 8:26-39
Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!” 29 For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.
30 Jesus asked him, saying, “What is your name?”
And he said, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him. 31 And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.
32 Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them. 33 Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.
34 When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 36 They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed. 37 Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and returned.
38 Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.
READ OTHER ESOCS DEVOTIONAL HERE
What you don’t appreciate, you can’t celebrate. Many a times we tend to look down on the special people God has brought into our lives, either as couple, children, parents, friends, relatives, colleagues, bosses, staff, customers, Pastors and church members. We rarely see anything good in them or in what they do. Hence, we desperately commit to see them leave.
Unfortunately, most times their departure will not even do you any good or add value to your own life. Jesus arrived the city of Gadarenes, instantly He faced a man tormented by an evil spirit, which has battered and shattered the man, with everyone being helpless in his situation. Jesus, in His compassionate nature, healed him and the people of the city out of fear and worry staged a protest that Jesus should leave their land, which He eventually did.
But, the interesting part of it is what Luke 8:40 says: “And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were waiting for him.” Beloved, that husband of yours you are treating badly, there are several women out there waiting for you to send him out. That wife you have failed to love, there are so many men out there admiring her. The devoted employee you do not seem to appreciate his/her efforts, you will soon push him/her to a firm that pays higher. That committed follower you are chasing away may soon be lost to a better place.
It is important we value and celebrate who and what we have before we lose them to outsiders.
Reflections
- Learn to appreciate and celebrate people always.
Prayer
- Father, thank you for sending people to me. Help me to appreciate them so that I don’t lose them, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Further Reading: Exodus 14:5-20; 2 Kings 6:24-7:2; John 7:37-end; Revelation 13:11-end
ESOCS Devotional 21 June 2026
