When you're raised in church, you get so used to Bible stories that you may forget how weird some of them are. Sometimes, I get to read the stories of Jesus with people who haven't read them before, and they are full of questions I don't know how to answer.
Like, "What's up with these demons?"
I've never seen someone that was possessed by a demon (that I know of). And when the New Testament talks about demons or "unclean spirits," I'm not always sure exactly what is going on. Are these people with afflictions that we would have different names for--epilepsy or schizophrenia, addictions or trauma? What, exactly, is Jesus casting out?
Different people have different opinions. But from the Bible, it's pretty clear that the world is full of things that can hurt us, things that we don't understand and can't cure with medicine. Sometimes, life can be spooky. And Jesus is there to deal with the things that nobody else can handle. Jesus is there for us when things get spooky.
Jesus is there for us when things get spooky.
It's spooky to know that there are things too big for us to control--tornadoes and hurricanes, floods and droughts, cancer and genetic disease. It's also spooky to know that there are things in ourselves too big for us to control--bitterness or lust or other sins, addiction or depression or other mental illnesses. Jesus is there for us when the world, or our own minds, get out of control.
When we gather as Christians, in church or Bible studies or praying around a meal, we are joining together to shine Jesus' light in a world that can be spooky and dark. If this sounds good to you, reach out to us, or join us for Sunday worship at 10 a.m.
--Jonathan
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