A boat, pigs, and a calling
Have you ever experienced a storm when in a boat?
In Matthew 8 we read of Jesus and His disciples’ experiences with the storm on the Sea of Galilee. After an exhausting day of healing, Jesus was napping in the boat when a powerful storm pummeled the vessel, causing waves to sweep over the deck.
The disciples were terrified!
Jesus snoozed peacefully during the tumult, while the disciples trembled and debated about what to do. Like we often find ourselves, they weren’t sure how to proceed, but they wanted to share their fear and concern with their leader. Talking about it sometimes helps, doesn’t it? The disciples weren’t shy about telling their Master why they awakened Him.
Lord save us! We’re going to drown!”
Matthew 8:25
But in response, Jesus did more than listen or talk. Jesus acted.
Their Lord calmed the storm and His disciples were suitably impressed:
What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”
Matthew 8:27
When Jesus and the disciples arrived on the other side of the lake, they were confronted by two demon-possessed men. The men were violent, their actions frightening all who approached them to turn away.
But Jesus did not turn away.
The voices of the demons shouted at Jesus through the tormented men, “What do you want with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?” (Matthew 25:29)
We all face demons, don’t we?
Demons exhibit themselves in many forms. We’ve probably experienced some of these: jealousy, envy, lust, anger, malice…
When demons rear their evil heads to attack, we may be the perpetrator or the recipient. Either role is painful. Perhaps you’ve been on the receiving end of malicious gossip, unjust criticism, or painful verbal abuse. Perhaps you’ve been the initiator of such attacks on others.
Even more tragic, you or someone you know may have been the victim of violent road rage, domestic abuse, physical assault, robbery, or worse.
Demons deliver different degrees of harm, but one thing they have in common–they don’t have Jesus in their hearts. Demons are of the devil and the devil is always looking for a foothold–examining our weaknesses–finding a vulnerable point of attack.
Jesus is our only protection and cure.
But there’s another step in this process of protection…Us!
What is our role in spreading the love of Jesus?
When Jesus healed the tormented, demon-possessed men, sending the demons into the herd of pigs, followed by their death by drowning, He was on Earth, in person. But He didn’t leave us alone when He ascended into Heaven. He left us an Advocate, a Counselor, a Guide–the Holy Spirit to show us the path to follow to live out our mission on Earth in service to our Lord.
All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
John 14:25-26
We are our Lord’s hands and feet and voice here on Earth. He guides us to do the actions that can make a difference in the lives of others. It is not our task to drown pigs, but it is our calling to help ourselves and others deal with our demons. How?
Live the life Jesus showed us how to live:
‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'”
Matthew 22:37-39
If we love God with all our heart, we will do our best to be in His will. We will be a good example for others, controlling our own demons, to the best of our ability, so that we are living by the Fruit of the Spirit. By our example, we will show others what it is like to be a child of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23).
Be humble
I’ll be the first to affirm how hard it is to be humble. It’s tough to be put down, treated with disrespect, or ignored when we are doing our very best. It is human nature to want to be recognized for our accomplishments. It is human nature to crave praise. It is human nature to be prideful. While I agree (and encourage) that we need to do our best to work hard at whatever we do, it is important to remember who we are working for. It is not to fulfill our own need and prideful ambitions, but to serve our Lord.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. (Colossians 3:23-24).
Be a servant
There are needs everywhere. I hope you will prayerfully consider where you can reach out to serve others. And please, never forget, we are chosen, by our Lord to live out His mission on Earth, to bring others into His fold. He is our Shepherd.
We have a guide. Just like the disciples called out to Jesus in fear and terror during the storm, our Lord Jesus is just a prayer away, and our Advocate and Guide, the Holy Spirit is with us in our hearts and minds.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)
When the devil shoots the darts of temptation at you, how do you fight back?
Praying for each of us, my friends, that 2022 will be a safe, happy, and healthy year and that we may seek our Lord’s guidance as to how we may best serve Him. I pray we all may be blessed and share our blessings with others.
Love this insightful post, Katherine! ❤️
So thankful God has given such perfect examples to follow in Scripture.
Thank you, Melinda. Like you, I am so grateful for the living, breathing, wise, trustworthy, and loving scripture that we have been given. Each day, our loving Father sends guidance and hope for the new day (and I really need that!). Wishing you a blessed week!
You lay this out beautifully. I work in a school and feel I face darkness every day. I pray that since I can’t share the live of Jesus with the hurting students that they would see Christ in me and ask questions. Thank you for the reminders.
I think we are experiencing a time of darkness in our country and throughout the world. Not just the virus, but the social, economic, and political aspects of society are filled with darkness. Our schools are a microcosm of the bigger society, so our children and teachers cannot help but be affected by the encroaching darkness. I’m semi-retired now after a 40 year teaching career, but I am so concerned for our children and their future. I think teachers have the most important job in the world, after parents. Much prayer is needed. Thank you for your dedication and commitment to our children.
Such a great reminder that in this world of darkness, we (God’s children) are called to be light. Darkness cannot overtake light. Let us be light. Amen dear friend.
Thank you for being a light, J.D. You are such a blessing. Wishing you a blessed week, my friend. Continuing to pray.
How true that demons do take the form of jealousy, envy, lust, anger, malice. Grateful we are not left alone to face these manifestations on our own. No better way to combat the enemy than to love Jesus well, maintain humility and to serve where we can.
You said it so well, Mary. Thank you for adding your insight. We are so blessed that our Holy Spirit is always available to help us through those challenges when those demons attack to tempt us down the wrong path.
Jesus showed us how to live by His example. And yes, sometimes it is hard to get past the flesh that wants our own way. But like you said, that is why He sent the Holy Spirit to empower us to overcome temptation and defeat those demons. The more we rely on Him and abide in His words, the more strength we have to live like Christ. Thanks for sharing this awesome post, Katherine, to remind us of what our assignment is.
Thank you for your encouragement, Barbara. We have such a wonderful role model in Jesus and knowing that the Holy Spirit is always there to help us through the hard trials of temptation is so reassuring. Your emphasis on relying on Him is so important–we cannot make this journey alone. He gives us strength to stay on the pathway with Jesus when the devil tries to pull us off track.
“When the devil shoots darts of temptation at you, how do you fight back?” The weapons of our warfare are not carnal. We fight with love, forgiveness, joy, and peace. Thank you for this challenging post, Katherine.
Oh yes, Terri! “We fight with love, forgiveness, joy, and peace.” Thank you for your encouragement. When we join together in supporting each other on this journey with our Lord, He is right there with us, guiding us all on the pathway to His will as we lift each other up.
Live “the” life, be humble, and be a servant. I like the simplicity of these three statements. They are motivating because they sound doable. But we’ve all experienced how hard they become when we’re not in fellowship with our Guide, when we fall victim to attacks from the enemy. Thankful for His mercies, which are new every morning!
I find the three challenges hard (very hard), Candyce. It requires constant renewal from my Savior for me to strive to live the life my Jesus knows I am capable of. But knowing what to do and doing it faithfully are two separate issues. I am so thankful our Lord does not give up on us and He is always only a prayer away when we need Him to help us through those challenges.
Your scripture references are spot on, Katherine. And they’re the answer to your question as well. Just as Jesus used the word of God to resist Satan’s attacks, that is my first weapon against temptation as well. Thank you!
Annie, thank you for reminding us that Jesus used the Word of God when the devil attempted to undermine His faith in the wilderness. Our Lord had a response for every temptation Satan offered. We too, have that same shield of defense against the devil’s schemes. We are so blessed to have God’s Word and the blessing of prayer to guide us on our journey.
You’re so right, Katherine–“It’s not our task to drown pigs,” but to follow Jesus’ example in the way we treat others and deal with our demons. Personally memorized verses, especially from the Psalms help me at those times.
Being able to retrieve scripture from my brain helps me in times of challenge and need. I have found as I’ve gotten older, memorization is harder than it used to be (another casualty of those additional years). But part of the problem is me–I need to work more diligently to memorize. Thank you for encouraging me to renew that challenge. May you have peace and blessings this winter season.
Memorization does get harder with the years. I have to go over and over verses to learn them and review all the time!
Yes, I really struggle with this, too. Of course, if I would work at it consistently, I’d have better results. As you remind me–REVIEW is necessary! Thank you, Kathy.