Jesus and Crazy Risks

Scripture:
"But the man from whom the demons had gone out was begging Him that he might accompany Him." Luke 8:38

Observation:
Naked. Dirty. The shackles still hanging from his bleeding ankles and wrists. He had to be a violent sight. The strength it would have taken to break those chains is beyond belief. It was a scene to behold. The Son of Man steps out of a boat to be greeted by a crazy, naked, bleeding, demon possessed man running towards Him and crying out. Society's answer was to chain him up and throw him away. Jesus' answer was to reach out to him and make him whole.

The things that happen next confuse me a little. Jesus casts a legion of demons out of this man and sends them into flock of pigs. The pigs then run and drown themselves in a lake. The men tending the pigs run into town to tell the story. The people of the town run out to Jesus and survey the scene. Pigs floating dead in a lake. A once naked, violent and crazy man standing fully clothed and talking from a clear mind. The simple son of a Jewish carpenter standing in the center of it all.

Unlike the people gripped by fear in the previous chapter, this group of people did not fall down and worship. They ran Jesus off. It was more than they could handle so they just made Jesus leave. As Jesus was leaving, the man freed from the demons chased after Him and begged Him to let him go with Him. But Jesus sent him home.

Application:
I love my Savior. Jesus had guts. He was insanely calm. If a bleeding, naked, and crazy guy comes running at me screaming; forget it. I'm gone. Running scared and getting out of Dodge is what I'm doing. I get uncomfortable just going downtown to feed the homeless; so much so that I just can't get my arms around what all Jesus did in this scene.

There is something captivating about Jesus in this text. He is not in the synagogue. He is not preaching to a wealthy assembly and gaining favor. He is standing on a hillside with a naked, demon possessed man giving him his life back. Crazy.

I love the reaction of the demon possessed man noted from Luke in chapter 8, verse 38. Everyone else was gripped with fear and quickly moved to running Jesus off. He on the other hand longed to cling to Him.

Prayer:
I am grateful that when You chose to send Your Son to walk on the earth You sent a man willing to take crazy risks. This man was a wreck. There was nothing desirable about him. Nothing about him was inviting. In fact, just getting close to him was crazy. Yet there is Christ standing before him and casting out his demons. Reminds me of what You did for me.

My physical condition was much better than this man's. Fortunately I was wearing clothes, I was not full of a legion of demons and had not escaped from prison, but I was a wreck. I had rebelled against You in every way possible. I tried as best I could to escape Your call on my life, and every effort failed to lead me anywhere but back to You.

The work that You have done in my life since the day I agreed to stop running is greater than anything I could have imagined. There have been so many failures. So many mess ups. But, Each time I have found myself in trouble I have also found myself in the presence of a loving Savior will to take yet another crazy risk by giving me yet another chance.

I am so thankful to You for all that you have given me. I feel a lot like the man in this story in that I would love to leave this place and come be with You, but You have a better plan. You have left me hear to have an impact on the people in my life. I ask that You help me remember that. Create inside of me a hunger to share the stories of what You have done for me. Open my eyes and make me sensitive to opportunities around me to have an impact on the world. Move me to take the same crazy risks Jesus took and reach out to those I would normally walk away from.