The Man with an Unclean Spirit
He went down to Capernaum, a city in Galilee, and was teaching them on the sabbath. 32They were astounded at his teaching, because he spoke with authority. 33In the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, 34‘Let us alone! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.’ 35But Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be silent, and come out of him!’ When the demon had thrown him down before them, he came out of him without having done him any harm. 36They were all amazed and kept saying to one another, ‘What kind of utterance is this? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and out they come!’ 37And a report about him began to reach every place in the region. Luke 4:31-37
When I was young and helping my mother with dinner, she would often ask me to make a salad. Sometimes, there was only lettuce available. She would chuckle and tell me to make a honeymoon salad. When I looked at her puzzled she would simple say, "let us alone." I was a kid, so I didn't really get the pun, but from then on I knew to how to make a honeymoon salad.
The demons within the disturbed man told Jesus to let them be, to leave them alone. But Jesus brings healing and transformation and will not leave our brokenness alone, no matter how we plead. We might not think we have demons inside, but we do cling to our dangerous habits, our problems, physical and hurtful, no matter how much healing and compassion is offered. We like our brokenness because it is familiar. We are invited today to let those deep wounds and deep hurts be open to the healing love of God, to not scream, "let us alone!" one more time, but to let love in.
Today, I ask God to help me let go of those demons and hurts that I harbor and open my heart to God's healing love. May we all make room for healing and love so that the world might know that God's love is present and working among us all.
When I was young and helping my mother with dinner, she would often ask me to make a salad. Sometimes, there was only lettuce available. She would chuckle and tell me to make a honeymoon salad. When I looked at her puzzled she would simple say, "let us alone." I was a kid, so I didn't really get the pun, but from then on I knew to how to make a honeymoon salad.
The demons within the disturbed man told Jesus to let them be, to leave them alone. But Jesus brings healing and transformation and will not leave our brokenness alone, no matter how we plead. We might not think we have demons inside, but we do cling to our dangerous habits, our problems, physical and hurtful, no matter how much healing and compassion is offered. We like our brokenness because it is familiar. We are invited today to let those deep wounds and deep hurts be open to the healing love of God, to not scream, "let us alone!" one more time, but to let love in.
Today, I ask God to help me let go of those demons and hurts that I harbor and open my heart to God's healing love. May we all make room for healing and love so that the world might know that God's love is present and working among us all.
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