.

TODAY’S WORD…

…and the crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone.

– Mark 5:17

REFLECTION…

Why would people plead with Jesus to go away and to leave them alone? Foolish self-centeredness – that’s what made these people, these swine breeders, act as they did. Their pigs had thrown themselves over a cliff just after they were taken over by the demons that Jesus had ordered out of a possessed man.

Jesus had permitted the loss of some material goods (a herd of swine), because these were of infinitely less value than the spiritual good which came out of the cure of a possessed man. These people had our Lord near them, they saw His divine powers, but they were very self-centered: all they thought about was the material damage they had suffered through the loss of the herd. They did not realise or care about the marvel Jesus had worked, nor about its significance.

Christ was inviting them and offering them His grace, but instead of responding they rejected Him. How many times has Christ invited us and offered us His grace, and we refused…and rejected Him?

PRAYER…

Lord Jesus, help me always acknowledge You

over anything and anyone else.

Lord, do not permit me

to ever reject Your loving grace and Your presence in my heart,

for the sake of hanging on to my material possessions

and to earthly whims and cravings. 

Lord, come into my heart, and stay with me.

Clean me, Lord,

You are all I need.