Pigs or People?

In Matthew 8:28-34, Jesus arrives in a town called Gadarenes. There were two demon possessed men that lived in tombs and were so violent that people could not even pass that way.  Jesus reaches into their darkness and before he even says anything the demons cry out through the men, trembling and asking him, “What do you want from us Son of God?”  Begging him, that if he is going to send them out of the men to send them into the herd of pigs that was feeding in the distance. So he does that. And the whole herd of pigs goes running off the steep bank and into the water where they all drowned.  The men tending to the pigs witnessed this whole crazy situation, went into town, and told all the people what had just happened. One would think that the people’s response would be gratitude and thankfulness to get these violent possessed men from being feared in their town. But the response from the town is the opposite of that. They plead with Jesus to leave. Why would they do this?  One reason is they didn’t want to deal with their own “demons,” they were worshiping false gods. Gods they could control and make their own rules with. The other reason is that those pigs were someone’s lively hood and they were upset that it had been cut off.  Fearful that they would not have provision. One would think that the town would embrace the healing and the miraculous, breathing a sigh of relief for the men of their town and the safety of their families. One would think that a revelation of the Son of God would cause these idol worshipers to turn from their man-made false gods and to a living breathing worker of miracles. But they didn’t.  They valued statues more than God Almighty and pigs more than people.  

How about you? How about me?  God is revealing so much to my heart about what I value and where I place him.  So much in my life is changing right now and I want to most of the time run back to a comfortable place that is simple and safe, where I am naive and I don’t have the information I have now. Just like the people of Gadarenes when Jesus came to their town.  That is what my humanity wants to do. Beg Jesus to leave things the way they were.

Change.

Is.

Hard.

As I was praying today I heard the Lord say, “It’s OK to feel uncomfortable, just let the change happen anyway.  Change came with the fall that is why humans struggle so much with it. When I created the world it was perfect. Nothing needed change. It was right. It was good. It was pure and holy. But when sin came all that was right went wrong. Now you as a follower of Jesus are being changed. It began with a belief, a prayer, a decision but that was the beginning. The beginning of changing you into the perfected image of your original design, made in the image of Me.  I am regenerating you, refurbishing you, making you into what you were always meant to be; perfect. But you have flaws. And life has turns. And so things change. It’s painful. Painful to leave what you once found fulfillment and comfort in. Painful to say good- bye, painful to let go and do something different, leave a behavior that was a habit of routine. The process though painful is beautiful from my view point.  I am smoothing out your rough spots, I am tearing away what you can see and taste and touch and control so that you can trust only me.  I am teaching you the way of wisdom. Will you walk in wisdom’s way and become like Jesus?”

So I say, once again “Yes, Lord Jesus. Change me. Change my heart. Make me more like you. Make me free of controlling my life and those I love most, help me to not live yearning for the simplicities of the past - when I was unaware of the things that break your heart and naive about what it truly means to be a follower of Jesus. Help me through the power of the Holy Spirit embrace the change; embrace the breaking down and building back up. Embrace the miraculous and unexplainable things in my life, my family and ministry. Help me to value human life, every human life, over even my own lively hood. Help me to serve and embrace you as the Living, Sovereign, and Holy God that you are and inviting all you want to do to change my heart, my home, my town, my state, my county, and this world I call home for now.

Until Perfection comes.

Thank you Jesus that there will be a day when change will be no more. There will be a day when we will, in a moment, be forever changed and perfected and with you, the only Unchanging One.  Thank you for always being right, good, pure, just, holy, and loving.  Even when I wrestle and refuse you, even when I fear what you’re doing in me to make me like you. Thank you that my actions, feelings and fears never cause you to flinch or wavier.  Thank you for being my Strong, Steady Father. I do not beg you to leave, I beg you to invade…..