Mark 5:1-20
I imagine that the man in this passage, possessed of so many demons, is a hulk like man in as much as chains and shackles could not subdue him. Perhaps he even looked menacing. No one would mess with him. At the very end of the passage I am picturing a strapping shirt and tie kind of guy proclaiming the good news in the Decapolis.
I spoke the other day of the fact that years ago I was in some distress. Happy, but not happy, I had several issues to deal with and it wasn't until I dealt with my problems that I 'came out' ok. Like the demoniac I had sought out God to solve my problems, thinking I suppose that if I got closer to God I would achieve wholeness and true happiness. There really is nothing wrong with that, actually it is desirable and God wishes us to have a deep abiding relationship with him. But if we delude ourselves into thinking we can pray our problems away or worse, if we think we can pray the gay away, we are sadly mistaken.
So of course I did pray but I also sought out friends, acquaintances and professional help once I got an inkling of what my issues were. I suppose I could be proud of what I have accomplished. "Wasn't it "I" who sought out God for so many years? Wasn't it "I" who worked so hard at therapy? Wasn't it "I" who struggled? Was it not "I" that tried to make whole (as best as possible) those who would be directly affected by my decision to come out?
I could liken it to a very successful business man, very wealthy, works hard, shrewd, competent and takes great pride in every penny "he" earned. We can do nothing without God. We need to remember that and be always giving thanks and praise.
While we can take some amount of pride in cooperation with life, with God's plan for us and the actions we take, the ultimate thanks have to go to God. The demoniac knew that. I know that with all the turmoil I went through coming out at the age of 50, the people that helped me, my future husband, my therapist and yes even that backward Roman church, were all agents of God. I could have accomplished nothing without them, nothing without qualified professionals and all of it comes from God. God was along side me on my journey "the whole long way" as they say in The Quiet Man".
There seemed to be much media attention in the last Presidential campaign about a statement that our President made that for every successful person there were many people who helped in that success. While perhaps not totally disagreeing with him, the other candidate stressed the accomplishments the person makes to their success. No matter which your view is, know that without God and the myriad people that are placed in our lives by him, we could accomplish nothing.
No one is a self made man. God made us and it is our cooperation with who we are and our life in community that makes us wealthier by any measure. Always though, thank God.
I imagine that the man in this passage, possessed of so many demons, is a hulk like man in as much as chains and shackles could not subdue him. Perhaps he even looked menacing. No one would mess with him. At the very end of the passage I am picturing a strapping shirt and tie kind of guy proclaiming the good news in the Decapolis.
I spoke the other day of the fact that years ago I was in some distress. Happy, but not happy, I had several issues to deal with and it wasn't until I dealt with my problems that I 'came out' ok. Like the demoniac I had sought out God to solve my problems, thinking I suppose that if I got closer to God I would achieve wholeness and true happiness. There really is nothing wrong with that, actually it is desirable and God wishes us to have a deep abiding relationship with him. But if we delude ourselves into thinking we can pray our problems away or worse, if we think we can pray the gay away, we are sadly mistaken.
So of course I did pray but I also sought out friends, acquaintances and professional help once I got an inkling of what my issues were. I suppose I could be proud of what I have accomplished. "Wasn't it "I" who sought out God for so many years? Wasn't it "I" who worked so hard at therapy? Wasn't it "I" who struggled? Was it not "I" that tried to make whole (as best as possible) those who would be directly affected by my decision to come out?
I could liken it to a very successful business man, very wealthy, works hard, shrewd, competent and takes great pride in every penny "he" earned. We can do nothing without God. We need to remember that and be always giving thanks and praise.
While we can take some amount of pride in cooperation with life, with God's plan for us and the actions we take, the ultimate thanks have to go to God. The demoniac knew that. I know that with all the turmoil I went through coming out at the age of 50, the people that helped me, my future husband, my therapist and yes even that backward Roman church, were all agents of God. I could have accomplished nothing without them, nothing without qualified professionals and all of it comes from God. God was along side me on my journey "the whole long way" as they say in The Quiet Man".
There seemed to be much media attention in the last Presidential campaign about a statement that our President made that for every successful person there were many people who helped in that success. While perhaps not totally disagreeing with him, the other candidate stressed the accomplishments the person makes to their success. No matter which your view is, know that without God and the myriad people that are placed in our lives by him, we could accomplish nothing.
No one is a self made man. God made us and it is our cooperation with who we are and our life in community that makes us wealthier by any measure. Always though, thank God.
They came to the other side of the lake, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man out of the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. He lived among the tombs; and no one could restrain him any more, even with a chain; for he had often been restrained with shackles and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the shackles he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always howling and bruising himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down before him; and he shouted at the top of his voice, ‘What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.’ For he had said to him, ‘Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!’ Then Jesus asked him, ‘What is your name?’ He replied, ‘My name is Legion; for we are many.’ He begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. Now there on the hillside a great herd of swine was feeding; and the unclean spirits begged him, ‘Send us into the swine; let us enter them.’ So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the lake, and were drowned in the lake.
The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came to see what it was that had happened. They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighbourhood. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. But Jesus refused, and said to him, ‘Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you.’ And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.
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