The Gadarenes

Imagine being self-destructive, full of demons, bound, alone and injurious. Imagine that people have tried to subdue you, but they have not the strength to contend. Imagine crying out night and day, seeking relief from the constant emotional and spiritual pain inflicted by this Legion within. 

Imagine seeing Jesus from afar. Imagine the Legion within you carrying you to His feet, falling down before Him, and begging Him to leave. Who is this Jesus, that His very presence torments the demons, but they cannot help but bow down? 

Imagine hearing this man Jesus say to the demons, "come out of him!" Is it possible? Could you finally be free? The demons beg not to leave the country, though they are bargaining because they know they can no longer stay in you. Is it possible? 

Imagine the feeling. Freedom. Being self-controlled, finally in your right mind, clothed and sitting. At peace. Finally, finally at peace. Breathe that in. 

Imagine Jesus turning to leave. This man who has freed you, this great man who has sent out the demons - a Legion of demons, obeying His word - He is leaving. 

As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” (Mark 5:18-19)

In a way, this man's life-change is a picture of our own. We are not all possessed by demons in such a way, we are not all so physically self-destructive, but in many ways our salvation is just as drastic. Jesus comes. Jesus calls. His word is obeyed. He rescues us from our self-destruction, our calloused hearts, our darkened minds. He opens our eyes and replaces our heart of stone with a heart of flesh. He frees us from the bonds of Satan. He redeems us so that we are no longer under the wrath of God. 

Like this man, I just want to be with Jesus. I understand and connect with what Paul says here:

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again. (Philippians 1:21-26)

Yet look at what Jesus did - in fact, what Jesus did not do. He did not permit the man to follow Him. The man wanted to be in Jesus' presence, to follow Him, to live the rest of His life at the feet of Christ, and Jesus said no. He says no to us as well, while we wait here in the hope for His return. Someday, someday, I will find that man of the Gadarenes, and I will hug him and I will go with him to bow at the feet of the Saviour Who has said, "not yet," but Who has also said, "behold, I am coming soon." In the meantime, our calling is much the same as it is for every believer:

"Go home to your friends and 

tell them how much the Lord has done for you, 

and how he has had mercy on you."