Choose God over Fear
Read Luke 8:26-38
When I was 6 years old my parents put me in swimming lessons. I remember having a fear of water from a young age. Based on what I heard about water and the deadly possibilities that could be an outcome, I was filled with fear. I remember refusing to go. My parents would bargain with me trying to get me to go. Despite this, I sent my parents away and refused to go. Over some time my parents talked me into going. I went, I swam and I LOVED it. My parents had a hard time getting me out of the pool. I wanted to stay at swimming lessons and never leave. My parents encouraged me to get out of the pool with the insurance that we would return soon. I remember after completing my first level I went to school and told everyone about my experience with swimming. For a long time it’s all I talked about, I went all over school and told them about how great swimming was, despite my fearful start. I encouraged them to get into swimming lessons and thrive like I did in the pool.
In Luke 8:26-38 Jesus appeared to Legion, a man filled with demons and spite. A man that was naked, homeless and broken. Jesus called out to him and Legion begged Jesus to spare him and not not to torment him as he fell to his knees before Jesus, the son of the Most High God. Jesus called upon the demons that were in Legion. The demons seized Legion and hung on by chains and shackles. Legion broke the shackles and restraints and he was finally free. The demons begged Jesus not to send them to the abyss (a bottomless pit). Jesus looked around and saw pigs feeding on the hillside. Jesus showed them mercy by sending them into the stomachs of the pigs. The pigs then began to roll down the hill and into a lake where they drowned. Witnesses to this miracle ran throughout the town and reported what they had seen the Son of God accomplish. How could that be? People in the town were fearful of what was being reported. Who is this Son of the Most High God? Why is he here? We must send Him away, as this is too much for us to understand. Legion understood the powerful Jesus and what he could do. Legion wanted to stay with Jesus, Jesus sent Legion home and told him to report to the countryside the miracle that occurred today at the hand of God. Legion did just that.
When swim lesions were presented to me, I felt much like Legion, I did not want to be tormented. I felt fear in the possibility that I would like something that I feared so much. Once I completed the first level of swim lessons, I was empowered. Much like Legion felt when he broke free of all demon restraints. I related to the towns when they heard the reports of what had happened from the witnesses. When they felt fear and sent Jesus away because it was too much for them to comprehend and understand. I felt like this at the start of lesions when I pushed my parents away so often and refused to attend. After I completed the lessons, I didn’t want to leave the pool, just like how Legion did not want to leave Jesus’s side. However, Jesus sent Legion away to his home and told him to tell everyone about his experience with God. Legion did just that. When I left swim lessons, I told everyone about my experience in the hopes that they would want to try swimming. I hope that the people Legion reached when he reported his miracle to the countryside, sought out the powerful almighty Son of God.
Don’t choose fear over God, it can be overwhelming to understand and comprehend the works of God himself. There are little things in life that we can compare to God, that unknown can leave us fearful and unwilling to engage with something we don’t understand. Choose God, it is normal to feel fear. In those times trust God that he will misplace your fear and replace fear with empowerment. When you find yourself feeling empowered, do not be silent sister – go and tell everyone your experience with God first hand. Encouraged them to seek out our powerful almighty God.
