The power of God is a scary thing. We can't control it nor understand it. Isaiah 55:9 says his ways are higher than our ways and his thoughts higher than our thoughts. Psalms 147:5 says, "his understanding has no limit." Many times we try to put God in a box so we can control him to gain our purposes. Today many people come to Christ initially because they want a better marriage, children with character or some favor in life. In reality if we could just harness enough of God's power to use for our purpose to get the life we want most of us would.
Fortunately our loving Father doesn't work this way. He doesn't let us use him for our Glory. When Jesus comes into our life he comes on his terms. In the next chapter we'll see that for him to live in us - we must die to self and take up our cross daily. If we truly want the power of God in our life we must get past what this town could not. Jesus comes to destroy evil and set up his kingdom - His way. If we don't want his power in our lives - he'll leave but his healing presence goes as he does.
How sad this town could not get past loosing some assets (pigs) to see they had gained a human life. They valued their comfort and understanding more than this man's freedom from demons. How ironic that we see their fear come alive when their comfort was imposed. But the man who had lived in fear and bondage truly encountered Jesus and was willing to go and face his greatest fear - those who had rejected him. The freed man was willing to face his greatest fears because when the power of God frees you - Jesus comes to empower you to live free. As is often true - those who were the farthest from God and come to know him truly have much to teach the rest of us.
questions
1) What areas of your life do you like to be in total control of? Do you have anxiety in these areas when there are unknowns?
2) What scares you about God completely 100% controlling your life?
3) When has God faithfully led you through a very stressful time where it felt like you had no idea what was going on? Can this memory give you confidence God knows what he's doing?
prayer (praying through Proverbs 3:5-7)
Lord teach us to trust you will all of our heart and keep us from leaning on our own understanding. God we boldly pray for troubled waters where we can't see the future or know what is doing to happen so we can learn to walk by faith not by sight. Lord we repent for making our understanding our god instead of you. We repent for being "control freaks" who keep your power at a distance because we don't want to enter the unknown. We claim the promise that as we acknowledge you in all our ways you will make our path straight - even if we can't see it right away. We repent for being wise in our own eyes. We fear you today and refuse evil. Come Lord Jesus come!
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