Devotion - Monday, November 10

In Luke 8 there is an interesting encounter between Jesus and a man "possessed."  Let me start by saying that my sensitivities regarding mental illnesses makes it difficult for me to gloss over a reference to someone being "possessed," because of my commitment to bringing mental illness and those who suffer mental illnesses out of the shadows and into the light.

We don't know that this man suffered from a mental illness; but the characteristics he displays tend to suggest he may have.  

Having said that, it may be difficult (but I ask you to try) to move back into the encounter and discuss what is going on here.

Maybe you know the story.  When this man, and the demons which possess him, confront Jesus they ask, not to be sent "into the abyss."  Rather, they ask to be sent into a herd of nearby pigs.  Jesus grants their request.  The demon possessed pigs promptly run down the hill and into the lake and drown.  They die.

So what is this "abyss" which the demons so feared that they would choose instead to drown?

Sometimes we acknowledge a fear of something which isn't as fearful as that which lies behind or beyond the freely spoken of fear.  We worry about not doing well in class; perhaps what lies behind and beyond is the fear that we won't be in a position to build the life we envision for ourselves.  We worry about being at the right event or gathering; failing to acknowledge our fear of being left out and being left alone.

We fear so many things, things which Christ has conquered.  Moving beyond the fears which are socially acceptable to admit, we can speak of the fears which lie behind and beyond - and we can be assured that Christ has addressed those fears and given us the confidence we need.