Taken in Vatican Museum, 2012, by Martha Wiggins
“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.” Luke 8:38-39
It is a normal reaction to want to be around someone who makes you feel good. We all want to be accepted for who we are now, not who or what we were. For the man tortured by demons there was no relief from his situation. No one could help him; no one wanted to be around him. He could not even help himself. Eventually he removed himself from everyone, living in exile in the hills. His life was one of complete loneliness and exile.
Imagine the scene when the demons inside him recognized Jesus! They began shrieking and collapsed at His feet. They begged Him not to torment them; they, who had tormented and exiled the man! Very calmly, Jesus listened to their pleas. He had mercy on them, and sent them into a herd of nearby swine, who then jumped over a cliff into the water and drowned.
On the surface it is truly a horrible story, but when we look deeper we see it is really a story of healing, or reconciliation. Like the possessed man, we are sometimes filled with demons. And, demons come in many forms; some from without and some from within. Like the possessed man, when we see Jesus, our reaction might be one of trepidation. What will He do with us? Will he reject us because we are unworthy, or will He heal us?
In His infinite wisdom, God knew man would need to be rescued from demons. He also knew man would first need to recognize that he had demons before he could be rid of them; that he must first desire to be rid of them, and bring them to Him. God also knew, when man was possessed with these demons, he would hide from Him. He would be scared to bring them to Him, for fear of what the consequences would be, and for fear of what life without them would require of him.
In His infinite mercy and love, God sent His only Son into the world to rid mankind of the demons once and for all. His Son, Jesus Christ, died a horrific death nailed to a cross, so all men could be free of demons. And then, He resurrected His Son from the dead into Eternal Life, showing all men that new life, free from demons, was not only possible, but was theirs for the asking. Still not finished, God sent His infinitely wise Holy Spirit to Light the Way for all mankind to enter into His Kingdom and live with Him in Glory forever. Wow!
The above Bible quote continues on, “So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.” He was a new man; he was healed. He had begged to go with Him, but Jesus asked Him to bear witness instead. The sad part of the story is when the people of the area heard about all Jesus had done, they were so frightened by it they asked Him to leave. Let us be like the possessed man. Let us recognize our demons, desire to rid of them, and bring them to Him for complete healing so we can live in His Kingdom forever! Then let us bear witness to all He has done for us so that all might enter into Eternal Life.
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