My Life with Jesus

"The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 'Return home and tell how much God has done for you.' So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him." Luke 8:38,39

As a young girl I was fascinated by the story found in Luke 8 about the man from whom Jesus cast out demons. I could visualize the herd of pigs going over a cliff and into the water! This seemed quite funny to me! Of course, through the years other elements of the story took on significance. It's interesting to examine the different responses to Jesus by the participants in this story: the demons, the possessed man, the pig herders, and the people of the town. From them we see fear, recognition, gratitude and belief. This passage of scripture is a powerful example of the transforming power of Jesus.

But in my most recent reading of this passage the phrase, "begged to go with him" seemed to speak to me. There are times in my life when I long to withdraw from the world and "go with him." I yearn to spend hours alone with Jesus and His word. Let me retire from life and its demands, schedules, conflicts and endless activity. Let me hole up somewhere in quiet solitude and just be with Jesus!

But God did not call me to that kind of life! At least not yet! He does not call any of us to a life of monasticism. Instead he says, "go home and tell how much God has done for you." And God has done so much for me! I'm blessed to be His child; I should be shouting that from the housetops! Each and every day God is touching my life and I need to be sharing that with others "all over town." That's the life to which Jesus calls me. For now.