Editor’s Note: The AMI Quiet Times for January 31 and February 1 are provided by Christine Li of TRPC, NYC.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Matthew 8:32: [Jesus] said to [the demons], “Go!” So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they pleaded with Him to leave their region.

In this recounting, Jesus drives demons out of two demon-possessed men who had been living among the tombs. Either by the demons’ choice or their own, these men were isolated from society due to their condition. Upon meeting them, Jesus frees them by sending the demons into a nearby herd of pigs (which promptly drowns), much to the shock of those tending the pigs.

What a tragedy it seems that, on the heels of a great miracle, the townspeople’s foremost reaction was to ask Jesus to leave.  Driving out the demons could have been a glorious display of God’s power; it could even have been a source for great joy for the town to be able to take the two men back home. However, thinking instead of the great costliness of losing those pigs, they did not welcome the work that Jesus was doing. They would have rather kept their pigs than the two restored men or even Jesus, who exhibited a power that had not been seen in generations.

It would be so easy to shake our heads at the citizens and think about how much they missed out in turning Jesus away. But we are no better; we make similar decisions each day. We know that if we let Christ into our lives, He intends to drive out every sin that causes spiritual sickness. So we do not welcome Jesus into our lives as eagerly as we ought because we have a suspicion that He will want to change too many things. He might make us give up some things we want to have. He might even have us lose some material security that we hold onto tightly.

With the hindsight of 2000 years since Jesus’ life, we know that the townspeople made a poor decision, choosing to lose out on the very presence of God incarnate. Let us pray that we will not have the same foolishness in our lives and that we will far prefer the changed life that He wants to give us. May we never turn Christ away from the gate in order to keep our pigpens.

Prayer: Father, I know that if I were to bring my life under Your examination, I would surely fail Your standards. Perhaps that is why I do not ask You to search my heart more frequently. But, LORD, if You cleanse me, then I will be a thousand times more satisfied than if I keep You at arm’s length. Do what is best for me, LORD. Come into my life and heal me so that I may live for You.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 34-35