Contemplative Bible Reading

Matthew 8:34 (New Living Translation)

34 Then the entire town came out to meet Jesus, but they begged him to go away and leave them alone.

This is part of the (hi)story of Jesus’ miracle of sending demons into a herd of pigs and then having the pigs crash into the lake to die. In addition, demon-possessed and crazy men become … well, like normal people again. This was indeed a miracle.

The reaction? The witnesses begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone. Huh? This is a miracle. Nothing can explain what had happened other than Jesus was from God and empowered by God. Surely the people would cling to this person from God.

Nope. Go away and leave us alone.

What is wrong with these people? They were people, just like the people in the coffee shop with me this morning. Power often brings fear. Good grief, this stranger wandering through town could do things that had no explanation. If he could make crazy men normal, he could make normal men crazy, right? Right.

Better safe than sorry. Get out.

Well, it takes some faith. It takes a bit of, “I don’t see this working out for me but, perhaps it will so, I will hang in here a few days to see.” Sometimes that is what it takes to overcome fear. It takes an invitation to hang in here for a few days to see. Sometimes that is what it takes to come to Jesus. Let’s give the doubters in our lives those few days.