Fear in the Presence of Jesus

Image Source: LUMO Project

In today’s Bible reading* Dr. Luke gives us several stories in this chapter and I find it interesting that in two of the stories, the people tell Jesus to stay from them. (Luke 8:25, 35, 37).

You would think that people would want to be with Jesus. But in the story of the man with a legion of demons, the people tell Him to leave because, having seen a miracle take place, they are frightened. Really frightened! They were terrified!

I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I’ve ever been in a situation where I didn’t want to be with Jesus. But then again, I’ve never seen Jesus instantaneously calm a “fierce windstorm”. (Luke 8:23) I’ve never seen Jesus send demons into pigs. (Luke 8:33)

Looking at the response of the people, I don’t know that I have seen the enormous gravity of Jesus’ miracles, up close and personal, without already knowing Him.

I have seen Jesus do some amazing things in raising spiritually dead people to life. I’ve seen people freed from their demons of addiction, lust, and the fear of man. These things were miraculous. But my view of these things has been in my “AD days” (says since becoming and walking with Him a believer), but the people Dr. Luke describes see Jesus’ miracles in their “BC days” when they don’t know Jesus. I cannot imagine being lost and seeing Jesus do His miracles. I’m sure it would be scary!

(Note: The disciples were afraid of seeing Jesus calm the windstorm, but this was on the other side of the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2), the day when their relationships with Him changed dramatically.)

Application

It wasn’t the miracles themselves that frightened these unbelievers. It was the One Who did the miracles that struck them with fear. “Who is this man who stops raging seas? Who is this man who controls the demonic realm?”

Yes, Jesus is to be feared, but if you are living in your “AD days”, He shouldn’t be so frightening; you’re on His side now.

Things happen in the spiritual realm multiple times every single day. Ask Jesus to show you some of those things that you otherwise would be blind to. Thank Him and praise Him for giving you “eyes to see” and “ears to hear”.

* Today we are reading Luke 8.

This devotional was originally published July 6, 2019.

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