With the simplicity of click, drag and drop, Jesus exorcised the demons and sent them into the herd of 2,000 pigs who immediately ran down the steep bank and drowned themselves in the sea. Upon hearing the breaking news of the miraculous healing along with the bankruptcy of the BBQ industry, the Gadarene townspeople were petrified of Jesus so they begged Him to leave their region while the formerly possessed man begged to live with Jesus.
The townspeople, having seen the power of Jesus became afraid of His authority and chose rather to be deprived of salvation than to endure any longer in His presence. They prayed for Jesus to leave because they could not live with a man who had such power. They said, “Jesus, we like you, and we would have accepted you but your authority ruins what we really care about.”
To live with a Powerful Jesus means losing control. While it is one thing to see and acknowledge His power, it is quite another thing to live with Him. When we accept the presence of Jesus, we accept the loss of control that comes with Him. We say we believe in Jesus but are we truly willing to live with Him? Are we willing to lose control and accept the unpredictable, irresistible power of Jesus in our lives?
Enjoy the poem below by Richard Wilbur based on the story of Mark 5:1-20 & Matthew 8:28-34, I think it speaks to us today.
Rabbi, we Gadarenes
Are not ascetics;
We are fond of wealth and possessions.
Love, as You call it, we obviate by means
Of the planned release of aggressions.We have deep faith in prosperity.
Soon, it is hoped, we will reach our full potential.
In the light of our gross product,
the practice of charity Is palpably non-essential.It is true that we go insane;
That for no good reason we are possessed by devils;
That we suffer, despite the amenities which obtain
At all but the lowest levels.We shall not, however, resign
Our trust in the high-heaped table and the full trough.
If You cannot cure us without destroying our swine,
We had rather You shoved off.
Lead, Laugh, Love 