They sailed on to the country of the Gerasenes, directly opposite Galilee. As he stepped out onto land, a madman from town met him; he was a victim of demons. He hadn’t worn clothes for a long time, nor lived at home; he lived in the cemetery. When he saw Jesus he screamed, fell before him, and howled, “What business do you have messing with me? You’re Jesus, Son of the High God, but don’t give me a hard time!” (The man said this because Jesus had started to order the unclean spirit out of him.) Time after time the demon threw the man into convulsions. He had been placed under constant guard and tied with chains and shackles, but crazed and driven wild by the demon, he would shatter the bonds. Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “Mob. My name is Mob,” he said, because many demons afflicted him. And they begged Jesus desperately not to order them to the bottomless pit. A large herd of pigs was grazing and rooting on a nearby hill. The demons begged Jesus to order them into the pigs. He gave the order. It was even worse for the pigs than for the man. Crazed, they stampeded over a cliff into the lake and drowned. Those tending the pigs, scared to death, bolted, and told their story in town and country. People went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had been sent, sitting there at Jesus’ feet, wearing decent clothes, and making sense. It was a holy moment, and for a short time they were more reverent than curious. Then those who had seen it happen told how the demoniac had been saved.” (Luke 8:26-36 The Message Bible)
As part of a Bible Study class last week, based on the passage above, participants were asked to describe or paraphrase the above text in terms of today’s cities and communities. The purpose of the assignment was to arrive at meaning and simultaneously use the creativity that participants were blessed with by God. I was facilitating and teaching the class, but I did the assignment too. I told one of the three classes that I might have to use it this week in a meditation. Therefore, today I am doing just that! Make sure to read the Biblical passage first, okay. Here is what I presented.
“In an urban area, opposite the side of Lake Michigan, on the east side of the lake, there was a man who for some reason was out of his mind. Some might say that he was homeless, but like the text indicated, he had a home he could have gone to. Rather than going home however, he hung out on the street corners. He was living in an area where folks dead in their sins hung out. They called it symbolically, “The Tombs.” He was barely dressed and the clothes he had on had not been changed for some time. You can only imagine the stench. This man would not even try to stay at any of the homeless shelters. Satan and his emissaries (his agents, his boys) made up the gang that had control over this man’s mind. He knew about Jesus, but that was not important to him. He ran back and forth from one street corner to across the street to the other street corner, back and forth all day long, hollering, cussing, scaring people out of their mind. People tried to avoid him if at all possible. He had been arrested many times, but he was not rehabilitated. He was not a person who handled re-entry well. He needed help. The city council was trying to come up with a plan to address his issue. The communities were protesting against him because he terrorized the city. The citizens were fearful. Oh here was a man who needed some divine intervention. Here was a man who needed Jesus. He needed Jesus beyond what he might have heard about him in Sunday school in his upbringing. He needed Jesus to really come into his life. You want to know something? There are many others, men, and women, and boys, and girls, just like him, choosing the streets as opposed to the Savior. This man, he needed a change; a change that only Christ could give him. Thank God Jesus stopped by!”
How did the text and the story touch you? Will it move you to help bring Jesus to someone who really needs Him? Will you, as a disciple of Jesus, go beyond your fear and help someone get to the feet of Jesus and be found in their right mind? Think about it! Have a great day! Be blessed!
“For the Holy Spirit, God’s gift, does not want you to be afraid of people, but to be wise and strong, and to love them and enjoy being with them.” (2 Timothy 1:7 The Living Bible)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King