Getting not Giving
When I was younger, I was convinced that becoming a Christian would make my life dull and boring, that there would be so much to give up that it wouldn’t be worth it.
Many people continue to think that following Jesus is about what you have to give up – not what you will receive; about having your own personality taken from you.
There seems to be a similar attitude to Jesus by the evil spirit in this account. He meets with Jesus, and is immediately worried that he will be destroyed.
Well the spirit might be about to be destroyed, because it is not good for the man, but the man certainly isn’t going to be destroyed, he is going to be released.
Jesus comes not to destroy, but to free.
Perhaps the man had come to see his whole identity by what bound him and held him; perhaps he was frightened to let go; maybe he was worried by what might replace it if he did – but Jesus reassures him, that whatever he loses in his encounter with Jesus will make his life better not worse.
How about us?
Are there things we cling on to that are effecting our lives, that would be better handed over to God?
He will take them and deal with them. Our lives won’t be diminished, but opened up to all God has to give us.
Thank you lord
that you seek only for us to have fullness of life.
Thank you that you take the bad things from us
and replace them with good.
Forgive me
when I try to cling on
to things which I am better without.
Today,
now,
I hand them to you.
Pam's Perambulation 