And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region. — Matt. 8:34
Strange of them to ask Him to leave. Never before in their lives have they seen someone who could cast out demons. Never before in their lives have they seen someone who could drive away what’s tormenting their town. Never before in their lives have they seen someone as miraculous.
And yet the one thing they focused on was not their gain of having Jesus in their town but their loss of a herd of pigs. Pigs! They preferred swine more than their deliverance. Temporal economics over eternity.
When Christ comes into our lives, He drives away the dirt and the dross and the impurities that have been stuck in our lives for a very long time. He cleanses our hearts. He does a major overhaul. Let us not pine for those things anymore. They are not worth the exchange.
Let the pigs drown. Let the old ways die. Let the uncleanness be gone. Christ, I ask you to stay in my life.
Jojo Agot 