They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea. Mark 5:1-13
Free From Torment
We are haunted unbalanced
walking alone with our worst selves
we wander the highway of nightmares
and linger in our sadness too long.
We are tortured by our failures
the glib and gliding of others
we search the heavens for signs
and we bury our sorrow in tedium.
No one can claim freedom from torment
lonely and frightened with a polished face
we go to the world pretending daily
and shatter as we walk in our doors.
The heart of God is crying for us all
children lost in the doubting wilderness
students caught by their own sad reflection
pilgrims aching for a warm soft rest.
We are wanted desired and needed
our broken hearts and minds will be remade
we are loved beyond reason and measure
and God want to bring us home.
1 comment:
Hello Carol,
This is very powerful and seems to be speaking in a voice that would be very helpful for our national wintertalk this year. May I have your permission to use it as part of one of our Morning/ Evening prayers? Peace, Kathryn
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