Finally free
by Reid Matthias
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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’ (Luke 8:38,39a).
Read Luke 8:26–39
For Jesus, it seems as though this venture into despairing territory has always been part of the plan. Jesus decides that they will go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Here is where all things unclean are, even pigs and pig herders. In the midst of these people is a cemetery and a man who could be considered the ‘uncleanest’ man of all: demon-possessed, surrounded by the dead, naked, in a region of Gentiles, and he has been isolated and chained in the tombs far too many times.
When Jesus encounters this man, he speaks to the demons inside the man. He refuses to allow their voice to be the one that conquers. Instead, Jesus releases the man from the demons and sends them to their rightful place, into the pigs, who rush headlong into the lake and are drowned.
While this story has nothing to do with politics, I can’t help but wonder if, as a devotional, it might speak to us about the polarisation happening in our world. Those on the left side of the lake view the others on the right bank as unclean, demon-possessed, living among the old, dead things. And vice versa, those on the left side of the lake are puritanical Pharisees, pointing fingers and finding ways to be ‘holier than thou’. And in all of this, everyone is seized by the urge to believe things that aren’t actually true to bolster their right-or-left-side-of-the-lake perspective.
Maybe this is where Jesus can (and does) come to us all and can (and does) finally free us from our miserable preconceptions to release us from the demons of uncivilised judgement of our brothers and sisters.
It’s a scary thing, isn’t it? Yet, to be freed from the demon of the age will allow us to beg for the privilege of going with Jesus.
Free at last. Free at last. Thank God Almighty, we can be free at last.
Heavenly Father, free me from my inability to see the humanity in the other. Give me the strength to bow at your feet and receive freedom. Amen.
Reid Matthias is the school pastor at St Andrews Lutheran College in Tallebudgera, Queensland. Reid is married to Christine, who, together with their three incredible daughters, Elsa, Josephine and Greta, have created a Spotify channel (A 13) where they have recorded music. Reid has recently published his seventh novel, A Miserable Antagonist, and maintains the blog ireid.blogspot.com
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