The Forsaken Ones

A light breeze stirred him. Even before opening his eyes, he could see the pure light shining into the cave. With bloody fists and a whimper of anguish, he arose from his make-shift bed, and started to walk. His home was in the tombs. The home of the dead and forsaken. His home. Long ago, he had been driven from his people. They didn't want a monster living among them, and who could blame them? He was a monster now. Or at least that's what the voices told him.

He didn't know how it happened. He had never wanted this life, this weight crushing his soul and body. All he wanted was to be free. Free from them.

So today, he would fight them-even if it killed him. Today, He would meet the Healer. The one they called Jesus. The voices knew Him. They shrieked with outrage at the mention of His name. He didn't know if Jesus would help...no one else would...but if the voices were scared of Him, well, that was a good start...

"When Jesus stepped out on the land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?" For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.)" Luke 8:27-29

This man had been plagued by many demons for a long time. Then an amazing thing happened! Jesus delivered him! Drove those crazy demons out and into a herd of pigs. He was free at last! Good news...right?

"Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from who the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned." Luke 8:35-37

What stupid, stupid people! This man had been saved, healed, redeemed! He was no longer forsaken, and they told Jesus to get out like he was a traveling salesman toting miracle dust. This was the real deal, but they didn't want to see, least they be called to action.

Demons have adapted with us a little. They may not make every person thrash and foam at the mouth, but they are still around, spiritually tormenting people. They love to plague people. Do we, as those equipped to fight demons, step up for those people. Are they forsaken because we can't be bothered to help? Because we are too afraid?

Jesus took all those weights and so much more when He went to the cross. No one on this earth should be plagued by Satan's minions. They have the right to be free. Question is, do we do our part? Or do we leave them forsaken?