In the Tombs

Last week at on Sunday at church we talked about Jesus healing a demon possessed man, who went by the name Legion.  At service I focused on how this man named himself and defined himself as “legion” for he had many demons inside of him.  He defined himself through his ailment, disease, possession.  Which is heartbreaking.  Your ailments, stress, disorder, possession, shortcomings in life are not what should define you!  Your name, it is your identity, it is the name that God calls you by to come to His fold.  We should remember that!  There is nothing or nobody that can tell you who you are!  You have a name, it is your own, given to you by your parents, who God calls you by.
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But this passage is so rich with other life learning lessons.  One in particular is that fact that the name once named “Legion” is a person who walks among the dead.  In the story, Legion is found near tombs of the dead, in the shadows, in darkness, totally isolated from other people.
It reminds me about that life we have right now and how we live that life.  Do you find yourself in “tombs” living among the dead?  OR do you find yourself living life to the fullest, without regrets, without shame, without burden?  Well the truth is most of you might find yourself a bit in between the living among the dead and living joyfully. 

But what is important to me is the choices we make when life doesn’t seem as go lucky and cheerful.  Those moments that you do find yourself wandering in the tombs, walking among the dead.  We have a choice.  We can mope around and be one of the dead, buried in the tomb.  Choose to be immobile, powerless, and frightened.  Or we can choose in the moments of darkness, to rise above the challenging experiences.  We can believe and hope that living life is more important than a life just waiting to die. 

As Christian we are called out of the tomb to live again, each day and every morning.  We are called to look forward to the day and hope for tomorrow.  No longer do we live as if our past haunts us and those burdens of regret bury us.  Our chains are broken, and we are called by Christ to be guides for the people we may meet.  We are not the dead living amongst the living, but we are called to live life abundantly through God.  

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