“And all the people in the region of the Gerasenes begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone, for a great wave of fear swept over them. So Jesus returned to the boat and left, crossing back to the other side of the lake” (Luke 8:37 NLT).
The people in the region of the Gerasenes, on the Eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, begged Jesus to leave. He had only just arrived when he encountered a demon possessed man who lived in the tombs. Running towards Jesus and shrieking at the top of his lungs, the demoniac fell at Jesus’ feet begging that Jesus not torture him. However, it wasn’t Jesus who tortured the man, but the demons, for they were many, going by the name “Legion.” Jesus commanded the demons to leave the man, sending them into a nearby herd of pigs as they requested. The pigs immediately plunged themselves into the water and drowned. The herdsmen who saw this, ran into the town, spreading the news as they went.
A great crowd came out to see the man freed from demons, fully clothed and sane, sitting at the feet of Jesus. This sight along with the news of how Jesus had freed the man and sent the demons into the pigs, caused a “great wave of fear” (“megas phobos”) to sweep over the crowd. So, they begged Jesus to leave. But the man freed from demons begged to go with Jesus.
Which are you? Have you heard about the life-changing power of Jesus, yet in fear of surrendering control to him, you have turned him away? Or are you like the man who once lived among the tombs? You have decided to follow Jesus and tell everyone what great things he has done for you.
PRAYER: Father, may we never be guilty of turning Jesus away. Yet, we confess that every time we deny the urge to speak on his behalf or to stand in the gap for him, we have turned him away in that place. Forgive us. We welcome Jesus into our homes, our schools, our workplace and our very lives. We want to tell everyone what great things Christ has done for us. In Jesus’ name, amen.