Day #7
Larry Trotter
Words
of Love
26 They sailed to the region of
the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee. 27 When Jesus
stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long
time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the
tombs. Luke 8:26-27 NIV
Overcoming the Barrier
Passages such as
this can easily leave us confused if not a little creeped out. Let’s face it;
the scene sounds more like something from a Wes Craven movie than the Bible. A
demon-possessed man lurking in a cemetery is the stuff of nightmares. His
condition is attributed to demon possession and has resulted in behavior that
has driven him out of his community and into isolation. Medicine in the first
century was more advanced than you might suspect, but behavior that 21-century
doctors associate with some type of mental illness was, in Jesus’ day,
considered to be the presence of an evil spirit. However we understand the
situation, this type of behavior can be frightening for everyone, which
contributes to the sick person retreating from community or being shunned by
that community both resulting in isolation. Moreover, it is important not to
summarily dismiss the idea of demon-possession because we find it incompatible
with post-enlightenment thought. For Luke, the idea of Jesus ordering the
demons to flee reinforces Jesus’ authority over all creation, even that which
dwells on the dark side. It also underscores his willingness to engage any
threat to the people he came to save.
Perhaps somewhat
less dramatic but none-the-less traumatizing is the nightmare of isolation that
can accompany sickness, today. Both mental and physical illnesses have the
potential to limit our capacity to engage the world around us. Physical pain
related to chronic illness and emotional pain from depression and other related
mental issues can drive us inward and away from a caring community, even family
and friends. Jesus is not afraid of anything that threatens our well-being and
is always ready to engage any issue that isolates us from life with him or with
others. If we find ourselves struggling with this kind of inner pain that seems
to be separating us from our life with God or the relationships we treasure
it’s time to reach out. If someone we love is drifting away due to illness of
any kind we can carefully, lovingly engage them with the healing love of Christ
which may begin with a simple visit or call. Jesus is eager to share the authority
of his love to help them back into community and wholeness.
Prayer
Tender Savior, please come near and tend to
my broken heart (to the broken heart of my loved one) and help me (them) find
the strength of community once again. In your name, amen.
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