“I quit!”
“Quit what?”
How many times a day do I say this to myself? Too often if I’m honest. I struggle to see, in the vastness of humanity, how I differentiate and provide real value to people.
I see others who inspire me. I see others who are out performing me, more capable than I see myself… a search for significance.
This is my demon, and I suspect, I am not alone.
We all have our demons. Drugs, alcohol, sexual perversion top the Christian red herring list pretty often while egotism, judgmental-ism, and righteousness are white washed sins taking form in religiosity.
“As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, ‘Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you. So the man went away and began to tell in the decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.” Mark 5:18 – 20
The expanded passage from Mark 5:1 – 20 is awkward. Jesus crossed the lake, drove out a demon and then got back in the boat to leave. What’s the point?
Many things could be said about this story:
- The supremacy of Christ is definite
- The power of Christ
- The confirmation of demon posession
- The confirmation of Jesus as “Most High God”
- Jesus kills pigs… not directly, but still… He knew what would happen, right?
What we can’t deny about this passage is the message of hope.
Foreshadowing Restoration
Sooner rather than later, Jesus would be crossing a much deeper expanse in order to drive out the demons in our lives… His death, crossing to the deep and returning to Heaven all so He can provide a means for us to connect with Him and experience His restoration.
Really, this is a story about us, plagued by our demons which separate and isolate us from society. For some, literally and for others, figuratively…
[KiwiClickToTweet tweet=”This story is about us, plagued by our demons which separate and isolate us. Jesus Restores us #Godislove” quote=”This story is about us, plagued by our demons which separate and isolate us. Jesus Restores us #Godislove “]How many times have we heard about loneliness being a factor in violence? From shootings to suicides, even the most ‘connected’ people express their loneliness.
Jesus crosses the expansive distance that isolates us, brings light into the darkness of our heart and soul and provides new life and hope. In His love for us, He meets us where we are and provides a path of restoration to Him, to ourselves, and to others.
