My Year Through the Bible...That's All Folks!

I am currently reading through the Book of Luke. It is the 3rd gospel and the final synoptic gospel...which means, yes I have heard all of these stories at least for the second time, if not the third time.

I was reading through Chapter 8, when I came to the story of Jesus casting out the legion of demons and allowed them to possess the herd of pigs. Those pigs then went and drowned in the lake because of the demons.

I have read that story over and over. I have read it before, as well. I never really understood why Jesus would allow a herd of (some say as many as 2000) pigs to die. This is some farmers livelihood.

I decided to spend some time yesterday studying this chapter to see if I could grasp the meaning behind it. I pulled out my commentaries and dusted them off...ok I really just booted up my Libronix software with the commentaries built in. I began to do a search of commentaries to try and see if I could figure this out.

As I read, I realized that the point is not tied to the fact the pigs all died, but rather the village's response. They became scared and angry and asked Jesus to leave.

That is when it hit me. They were more concerned about their stuff, then the man who was saved from the devil...and then it REALLY hit me.

Ouch. Thanks God! I really didn't need to hear that...ok, maybe I did.

It is so easy to pray to God for friends, family members, the homeless guy down the street, the kids in your Sunday school class to be saved. Yet, when God asks us to put our stuff (our money) where our mouth is we begin to squirm in our seats. We become more angry that we would have to give up something (that doesn't really belong to us) for someone else to be saved.

Come on God, you can have 200 pigs, but leave me the rest. That is my tithe. Come on Please God!

Is your hand holding on too tight? Do you need to open up the hand and let stuff go? You and God are the only ones who can answer that question. As for me, I am trying to learn to hold both hands wide open...it sure isn't easy though!