Having just last evening preached a sermon inviting all of you into a deeper relationship with Jesus, I probably should hold off on this morning's reflection. But one of the reasons I make use of an established lectionary is so I won't pick the passages pleasing to me, but be directed to the whole of God's scriptures.
This morning from Mark 5 I was reading the story of the demonic whose possession was Legion. The evil spirits ask to be cast into the herd of swine, who drown themselves in the sea. The herdsmen flee and go into the village. The townspeople come out, see the man who had been cleansed, and Jesus. Mark tells us, "They were afraid... They began to beg Jesus to depart from their neighborhood."
It is a wonderful thing, to accept Jesus' invitation into relationship. Aware of how our human friendships alter our routines, why would we not realize that a relationship with Jesus will do the same. And yet, we are sometimes unprepared for the change when it comes. It may even frighten us.
As a result of my interaction with Jesus, I have been cleansed of my insecurities, of my fear that I am not loved; but that relationship places me in frightening situations - like when I know that it is up to me to speak out when the conversations around me become abusive or demeaning. I want to join in the conventional wisdom of this age, but I realize that God has spoken to me of a differing way to see His creation.
I remain committed to this deeper relationship with Jesus. As a result, my life is so much better than it could be otherwise. And those moments when I become frightened and nervous only serve to strengthen my resolve to live the way Jesus would have me live; to follow the path which leads to the Life of which he speaks.
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