Matthew 8:34
“And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they pleaded with Him to leave their region.”
Very sad. They did this because He just sent the demons into the pigs and they rushed into the ocean and died. Their pig economy was damaged as was part of their diet.
Sometimes God and His Word are inconvenient. The Ten Commandments restrict behavior. So does much of the rest of the Bible. To fear God we need to adjust that behavior. This people shoudn’t have been raising pigs. God had deemed them unclean animals.
A big part of sin is us putting ourselves first. Adam and Eve did, Satan did as well as all others in the bible who sinned. Here’s what God has to say about that. ‘Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me”‘, (Matthew 16:24). This doesn’t mean we deny ourselves in every instance, but when it comes to loving others and of course to obey the bible.
Loving God and people are the top priorities of the bible. Letting others go first, being patient, forgiving others, overlooking faults and so on. We all have “want to’s”. If they step on others toes, we have to be patient or adjust. We have to reign ourselves in.
The problem here is that we are all inherently selfish. We are afraid that we will miss out or not get what’s ours. We have to trust God that our needs will be met. If we have a right concept of God it’s easy.
God loves us and wants good things for us. He owns it all and will bless us if we obey Him. This was difficult for me as a young christian. The church I grew up in didn’t teach a joyful, loving God. It was all about sacrifice. A few years into my faith I learned about His love and grace. I was shocked. It was so freeing. It took several years to sink in.
What the bible says is that there are times that we are to deny ourselves, but we will be blessed when we do so. Hebrews 11:25 says this about Moses, “choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin”. Sin is very enticing. It can also be blinding. It deceives us. We crave it. We are certainly to deny that. The people in this town were so blinded that they begged Jesus to leave. Word about Him was everywhere. They must have heard stories of Him, of His good news and His miracles of healing. Yet, they begged Him to leave.
We never want to be on the opposite side of God. We have to be open to Him. When we bump into any resistance we ask, “God are You trying to show me something?” Don’t keep driving to force our way. Acts 5 has the pharisees trying to stop the apostles. Gamaliel gives them this advice in verse 39, “But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God.” The pharisees thought they were right, so the kept the pressure up. They were wrong and were fighting against God. We can do that as well. We have to give His Word obedience. When circumstances arise be open to His influence. His ways are right. Build our lives upon His Word. Be open to Him in the circumstances of our lives.
We are to obey Him in the small things. If not, then we won’t obey Him in the big things. This town built it’s economy on something was was against His ways. Jesus talked about building our lives upon the Rock, Him and His Word. The foundation is important. It’s the large part of our lives. If that is not of God, then to obey Him means there will be major demolitions to comply with Him. The people of this town should have taken pause with them losing their herd of pigs. Yes, it was their economy and it must have been upsetting. Their will always be shrill voices who stir up the crowds. They shouldn’t be our guides. I’m sure some of the towns people came to Christ someday. Just not this day.
Thank You, Lord, for Your ways. Help us to be open to You. Help us to never be on the opposite side of You.