What Jesus Did! 'Driven Away' — Matthew 8:33-34

The status quo is very powerful! We would rather things not change if they are going to threaten us or our livelihood, even though that change might mean something better for others. We would rather things not change when the change makes us look at things differently or forces us to treat others differently at our expense. We would rather things not change if we don't understand the change or the reason for the change. So we had better not be overly quick to pass judgment on the folks who asked Jesus to leave. Change makes most of us uncomfortable in one way or another. Jesus' goal, however, isn't merely change; he is about deliverance, blessing, and transformation. He wants us to be transformed by the Holy Spirit to become more like him. That is his goal, and if we seek him as Lord, his transformation in us will be every bit as dramatic over time as it was with the men who were freed from the demons that were destroying their lives. So the question is, do you want him to leave you alone or to leave you changed?