Embrace Change

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Then the entire town came out to meet Jesus, but they begged him to go away and leave them alone.     -Matthew 8:34

“All right, go!” Jesus commanded them.  So the demons came out of the men and entered the pigs, and the whole herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water (Matthew 8:32). You can imagine the excitement and curiosity that came with a story such as this.  Two well known men who were demon possessed, living in the near by cemetery,   so scary that people avoided them at all cost, were suddenly healed.  A man named Jesus walked right up to them and within minutes changed their lives forever.  The town was surely a buzz.  But scripture reads that when given the chance to meet this Jesus the people begged him to go away and leave them alone.  What were they afraid of?  Of course, the story was pretty far fetched.  How could anyone cause demons to leave a human and jump into a pig throwing it over the hill to its death?  It is a very powerful statement, one that without full proof, may cause people to doubt.  But was it their doubt that caused them to beg Jesus to leave or was it the fear of how Jesus could change their own lives?

In a similar way, we too ask Jesus to leave even though we have heard some amazing truths about Him.  We tend to push Him away when we aren’t ready to change or say yes to something hard.  When we want our own way, we send Jesus away so that we can accomplish our own plans sometimes knowing they aren’t within God’s will for us.  Let’s face it, it’s just easier to send Jesus away and go our own way than to do the hard work He asks of us!  

Remember what makes something easy doesn’t make it better for us.  We should not be afraid of the wonders God can accomplish through His Son Jesus Christ.  We should never run away from him, nor doubt the great things He does.  Embrace the good Jesus has to offer even when it comes as a surprise! Jesus wants to come to us and we should have open hearts and open arms to welcome the good He plans to do for us.  Yes, that good comes with hard times and difficult roads but we can count on His promises.  Let’s help each other keep Jesus in our lives.  Let us welcome His stories of redemption and healing even if we don’t think we need it in our own lives.  Instead of running or sending Jesus packing, let’s embrace change within ourselves and others!