Lake of Pigs

In Mark chapter 5, an account is shared of when Jesus arrived to a town by boat and a man that was demon possessed comes before him and pleads with Jesus, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  In God’s name don’t torture me!”  The man was filled with many demons and Jesus commands them to leave.  The evil spirits beg Jesus to let them enter a herd of pigs that are feeding nearby.  Jesus gives them permission, and they leave the man and enter the pigs.  The 2,000 pigs run wildly into the lake and all of them drown.  The people that were tending to the pigs run off and tell the townspeople what happened.  The local people then come to see what happened and they see the man that was possessed dressed and acting normal and they see the lake filled with dead pigs.  Frightened by all that they see, they ask Jesus to leave, and so Jesus leaves them.

When I reflect on this story, I think about the fact that Jesus arrived to this town, and crazy things began to happen.   The townspeople missed out on the blessing of Jesus being in their life because they were frightened of what they saw around them.  A wild man becoming normal, and a lake filled with dead pigs.  Can you imagine what that must have been like!?  Looking out over a lake with around 2,000 dead bloated pigs floating, some may have even washed upon shore?

How many times in our own life do we miss out on the blessing of Jesus entering into our life because our eyes are focused on the havoc that we see around us? The people of this town missed out because they were so focused on the chaos they saw, that they failed to see that their Savior had arrived to be with them.  

Do we miss out on opportunities for Jesus to be with us too because He doesn’t enter into our life in a way we think He should.  We see chaos entering into our life and we get frightened and we close our eyes to the fact Jesus is stepping into our lives. 

Keep your heart and eyes open as you live your life.  We sometimes expect God to come into our life in a way we perceive as positive and making things right in this world.  We don’t expect a lake filled with floating dead pigs.  We lose sight of the fact He comes to make things right and new from within, just like He did for the man who was possessed with evil spirits.  

Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 

Matthew 10:34

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  

Hebrews 4:12

~ Sue Parrott