By
Allen White
When he arrived at the other side in the
region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him.
They were so violent that no one could pass that way. “What do you want with
us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the
appointed time?”
Some distance from them a large herd of pigs
was feeding. The demons begged Jesus, “If you drive us out, send us into the
herd of pigs.”
He said to them, “Go!” So they came out and
went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake
and died in the water. Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and
reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. Then
the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with
him to leave their region.
Matthew 8:28-34
Read that last sentence again – “They
pleaded with [Jesus] to leave their region.” The whole town wanted Jesus out of
town. But, why? Didn’t Jesus solve their problem?
The demon-possessed men were “so
violent that no one could pass that way.” Wasn’t it helpful to the townspeople
to remove this threat from their neighborhood? Now, they could peacefully pass
through the area. They no longer had to fear these two men. But, rather than
celebrating Jesus’ power and the deliverance of the two men, they wanted Jesus
to leave.
Were these a bunch of commodity traders
who just saw pork bellies falling? (Sorry. I couldn’t resist). Or, had the
townspeople pledged so many things “when pigs fly” that they were now overly
obligated? (Okay, I’ll stop).
The situation involving the threat of
the demon-possessed men was bad, but they knew how to avoid it. Sure, they
might have to take the long way around, but they knew what they were up against.
With Jesus, well, they weren’t sure what they had. Two free men and a bunch of
dead pigs was way out of the norm. Even though what they had before was bad, it
was familiar. They knew how to deal with the problems. They didn’t know what to
do with Jesus.
What bad things in our lives give us a
sense of security? “If I’m always doing ten things, people will understand why
I can’t succeed at one thing.” The person’s fear is that they can’t succeed.
The multitasking becomes their excuse. “If I could shake this bad habit, I know
that I would be healthier physically and emotionally. But, it’s my go-to, and I
enjoy it.” Why do we resist change when we know it will bring freedom?
Familiar things are comfortable, even
when they’re not good for us. Either we’ve lost hope that things can get better
or we just don’t want to exert the effort. We live dissatisfying, mediocre
lives when significance is within our reach.
I’ve heard speakers over the years say
that the safest place in the universe is being in the center of God’s will.
I’ve found that it’s actually the most dangerous place, but I wouldn’t have it
any other way.
We find safety in the things we feel
that we can control. The deception is that eventually these things control us.
If you don’t believe that’s true, then why haven’t you quit already?
The question for all of us is if we
really want Jesus’ power in our lives. It might be too much for us. It’s
certainly going to challenge our status quo and lead us toward radical change.
Are you ready to allow Jesus to break
the rules in your life? Are you willing to let go of the things that make you
feel secure? If you are, then you’ll need to find some help. Who has victory in
this area of their life? Could they help you? A support group or Celebrate
Recovery might be the way. A prayer partner, life coach or accountability
partner might show the way.
If you are willing, God is able.
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