Amazingly Good

"When I straighten up my life, then I'll go to church.  When I quit........"  I'd been sharing my faith with a fellow at the desk behind me.  I'd invited him to hear my husband preach in a nearby church.  After his response, I told him that he had it backwards.  God loves him just as he is.  The straightening comes later. 

My friend had a skewed view of God.  He thought he could hide his activities.  He thought he didn't deserve God's love and acceptance.  He didn't think he was good enough and he didn't think God was good enough.  Jesus' encounter with a man possessed by a legion of evil spirits reminded me how Good God was and is! 

Mark's version of the event begins in chapter 5 verse 1.  Jesus and the disciples crossed the lake and a man came from his current home, the tombs, to meet him.  No one and no chains were strong enough to subdue him.  He cried out night and day and cut himself with stones.  When he saw Jesus at a distance he ran to him and fell on his knees in front of Jesus.  He loudly shouted "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God.  Swear to God that you won't torture me!"  Jesus had said "Come out of this man, you evil spirit."

The man knew Jesus was his last hope for a normal life and he ran to Jesus.  The evil spirits knew of Jesus' power and authority and made an attempt to bargain with Him.  They seemed to think that the herd of pigs was a viable option and suggested Jesus let them go into the pigs.  He gave them permission.  The herd of about 2000 pigs rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned. (I'm not sure this is what the evil spirits thought would happen.)

Those who tended the pigs hurried off to town and country to tell what happened and the people came out to see.  They found Jesus and the man who had been possessed, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind.  Instead of being amazed and glad for the poor man who'd lived in the tombs and must have been scary himself, they were afraid and begged Jesus to leave. The people were so afraid of the marvelous changes, they rejected Jesus.

The delivered man begged to go with Jesus.  (Today this is my favorite part.)  Jesus didn't let him come.  Instead Jesus told him to go home to his family and tell them how much the Lord had done for him.  Jesus gave him back a normal life with his family!  If this had happened today, Jesus' public relations team would have exploited this man and his story.  He would have had his "15 minutes of fame" and struggled to have a normal life.

But Jesus is Good, so very Good.  He gives us the deepest desires of our heart.  Imagine living a tortured life alone in the tombs.  I'd just want to go home and be normal.  That's what this man got after he fell on his  knees before Jesus, a normal life with his family.

Too often, we think if we follow Jesus we will have to "give up" what we want.  Really He gives us the best and most desired because He is Good, really, really Good.

The man went away and told how much Jesus had done for him.  And the people were amazed. 

I have been reminded that Jesus is good to me and good for me because He is Good, really Good.  All Jesus asks of me is to tell others what He has done for me.  I am amazed at His Goodness and hopefully those I tell will be amazed at His goodness.