An Intimate Moment with a Possessed Man
I'm not really sure where to start with this one. I love that Jesus saw the demons inside this man and dared to set him free. I love that the demon(s) thought they could escape Jesus's punishment by running from man to livestock - like that was going to soemhow guarantee their safety? I love that what one man bore inside him for (probably) years and years of his life was so strong and powerful that all 2,000 pigs threw themselves over the edge to their watery deaths when they were confronted with the weight of it.
I think my favorite part of the story might be this - how much evil man can stand to carry around with him day in and day out when it comes upon him little by little. Certainly, the demons never come to us like they do to the pigs - in one big rush of energy - or else we, too, would probably buckle from the weight of them and throw our very lives away. No, they come little by little, one slanderous remark here, one bad choice there and, before you know it, we're full of all our ill-made choices, our indwelling sins and our gross mistakes. The devil had a foothold at one point and we sensed it...but too afraid to recognize that we were pulling away from God in our sin, we chose to deal with it alone. Maybe we could fix things without God seeing what we'd done.
We are a foolish people, are we not?
Like the people in the village begging Jesus to leave because they valued their livestock over the life of a fellow human being, we often turn from Him, the one who can make all things right, and decide we too would rather "go it alone" this time. "It's all right," we say to ourselves. We'll be okay here in the dark for just a little while. We can deal with this by ourselves. After all, we got ourselves into this mess, surely we can get ourselves back out...
How many times did we send Jesus packing throughout the Bible? How many times will we send Him packing in our lifetime? When will we ever come to understand that there is nothing more valuable than who He sees us to be and when will we decide to stop trying to go it alone and just let Him BE with us? In us? Around us? Through and through us?
Sometimes I think the pigs on that hillside were smarter than I'll ever be. At least they knew that living a life filled with demons was not worth living at all. At least they had the good sense to throw themselves over the cliff. Me - I just keep right on going...
I think my favorite part of the story might be this - how much evil man can stand to carry around with him day in and day out when it comes upon him little by little. Certainly, the demons never come to us like they do to the pigs - in one big rush of energy - or else we, too, would probably buckle from the weight of them and throw our very lives away. No, they come little by little, one slanderous remark here, one bad choice there and, before you know it, we're full of all our ill-made choices, our indwelling sins and our gross mistakes. The devil had a foothold at one point and we sensed it...but too afraid to recognize that we were pulling away from God in our sin, we chose to deal with it alone. Maybe we could fix things without God seeing what we'd done.
We are a foolish people, are we not?
Like the people in the village begging Jesus to leave because they valued their livestock over the life of a fellow human being, we often turn from Him, the one who can make all things right, and decide we too would rather "go it alone" this time. "It's all right," we say to ourselves. We'll be okay here in the dark for just a little while. We can deal with this by ourselves. After all, we got ourselves into this mess, surely we can get ourselves back out...
How many times did we send Jesus packing throughout the Bible? How many times will we send Him packing in our lifetime? When will we ever come to understand that there is nothing more valuable than who He sees us to be and when will we decide to stop trying to go it alone and just let Him BE with us? In us? Around us? Through and through us?
Sometimes I think the pigs on that hillside were smarter than I'll ever be. At least they knew that living a life filled with demons was not worth living at all. At least they had the good sense to throw themselves over the cliff. Me - I just keep right on going...
posted by HeyJules at
4:19 PM
10 Comments:
Your take on this chapter is the most thoughtful and profound one I've ever heard. Thank you! I can resonate with every word you wrote.
By
Claire Joy, at 8:31 AM
Jules, this is one of my favorite posts from you....
and also, the pigs have something you dont - Jesus... :)
By
dangermama, at 11:05 AM
Addie, I don't know whether to be concerned or die laughing...
The PIGS have Jesus and I don't?
hahahaa
By
HeyJules, at 11:23 AM
Excellent post Jules! I agree with CJ, very thought provoking.
We do mess up, don't we, by opening ourselves up to satan's influence. How grateful I am that as a believer I cannot be possessed. God's seal on me is airtight!
By
Pilot Mom, at 12:11 PM
ha ha - you will have to forgive that typo... my brain isnt working fully today... :)
By
dangermama, at 12:22 PM
Guys, let me ask you this...
I've never heard (or read) this part about "not being possessed." Where does that come from?
For instance...let's say you're an alcoholic who gives his life to Christ but then slips into his old ways and never comes back out of it. Was that because his "demons" caught up to him or that he never really gave himself to Christ? Anyone?
By
HeyJules, at 12:45 PM
That's one of the tough questions. From my standpoint, there's always the same possibility we can slip in a moment of human weakness, as excel in a moment of courage and faith. I've given myself to Christ more than once... and still don't smell like roses. But I keep on keeping on, hoping, praying, with faith... that God has my life in His hands.
By
Claire Joy, at 1:04 PM
well, Christ and demons cannot possess the same things - if Christ is in your heart, then you are his, and the devil cant have you.... that is what I believe
as for your alcoholic example, I think once you become a Christian then you become a new person, your desires should change.... I think though for new Christians it is especially hard to let go of things that your body/flesh has practiced, so even though your spirit is willing, your flesh is weak, but I think even if you fall, then you should have the desire to repent (if you are saved)... even Paul had these problems and he seemed very sold out to Christ... so I cant really answer your example with a non-vague answer, only the alcoholic knows if he truly gave himself to Christ, but the Bible says that your life will be witness to if you are His are not - showing the fruits of the Spirit, and one of those is temperance or self control
By
dangermama, at 1:06 PM
Jules, one of the best verses is Ephesians 1:13-14 "In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were SEALED in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory." (emphasis mine)
Also, the verse, "Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world." Christ's power is greater than anything, so once His Holy Spirit resides in you, there is no way satan can enter you...he is not strong enough. Now, satan can certainly INFLUENCE you, he knows your areas of weakness, and he uses that to his advantage. For the Christian he doesn't need to inhabit, he just needs us to break our fellowship with the Lord. Does that make sense to you Jules?
By
Pilot Mom, at 3:01 PM
In other words, the "seal" of the Holy Spirit is a mark of ownership...I have written in the margin next to the Eph verses, "I am God's own possession!"
By
Pilot Mom, at 3:22 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home