There’s A Reason
 

Mark 5:11-13 “A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside.  The demons  begged  Jesus,  “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.  

This is a strange passage of Scripture, almost random…yet with God there’s a reason for everything. He works in every detail of our life. He is not the God of random but He is a God of power, providence, and purpose.

Mark 5 tells us the rest of the story.  Jesus and His disciples came into Gentile territory.  Only Gentiles would have pigs.  Jesus had a purpose and that was to redeem the life of the demon-possessed man called Legion.  Legion is a military word; a legion consisted of 3,000-6,000 soldiers.   The man needed a mighty warrior to deliver him and that mighty warrior was Jesus.   How often we too need Jesus as a mighty warrior when we are facing the difficulties of life.

The end of Mark 14 gives the story of Jesus calming the storm. After that they traveled across the lake to the region of Gerasenes where our story happens.  Jesus didn’t tell the disciples why they were going to Gentile territory.  Often we don’t know what’s going on in our life but we can trust God’s plan even when we don’t know His purpose.

Obedience is accompanied by obstacles…but peace comes when we are obedient.  God uses storms of life to build our faith.  We are to focus on the source of our strength and not the storm.  He is Lord over the storm.

The demon-possessed man lived in dead places and was out of control.  All of us have a little bit of Legion in us.  Christ came to free us from those chains, just as He freed Legion. God doesn’t just turn evil into good…He intends for good because He is good.

The people of the area preferred pigs over people but Jesus brought life to people.   He turned  Legion from a maniac to a missionary.  The man begged Jesus to go with Him but Jesus told him: “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how He has had mercy on you.” So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

God is still in the business of doing amazing things in the lives of people. There’s a reason for all that He allows.