Matthew 8:34 (ESV)
And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus, and when
they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.
Jesus
just encountered two men who were demonized and living in tombs or burial caves.
They were so violent that people avoided the area at all costs. But when Jesus
came the demons cried out in fear. They asked to be allowed to demonize a herd
of pigs. Upon entering the pigs they proceeded to destroy them. The men,
cleansed by the power of Jesus, went into town and let everyone know what had
happened. One would expect that the response of the townspeople would be
celebration and awe. Instead, it was fear. Instead of begging Jesus to stay, as
some others would do, they begged him to leave. They saw two men released from
demonic control, but they lost a herd of pigs in the process. Pigs were unclean
to Jews, unacceptable to touch, let alone eat. Whoever these people were, their
lifestyle was so opposed to God’s standards that they could not stand Jesus’
presence. His presence and his teaching would change their lifestyle. They were
unwilling to go down that road.
But
the good news is that two men were freed from demonic control. Even in a world
so opposed to God and his ways that his followers are accused of being evil,
God is still at work. In a world blinded to true freedom, and enslaved to twisted
morality God still cleanses lives. In a world in a death spiral of moral decay
God is still changing hearts. We can look at our world and fear, or we can look
at our world to see where God is at work. In the darkness you just might find
that he is drawing people to himself and transforming hearts and lives for his
glory. There is always Good News in the darkest days. God is at work whether he
is wanted or not. Look for it and trust him.
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