Luke 8:36-37 They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed. Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and returned.
Tradition tells us that when Cornwallis surrendered the British forces at Yorktown his musicians played a song called "The World Turned Upside Down". This seems appropriate in light of the unlikely victory of a start-up nation with a poorly equipped army defeating the greatest world power of the time.
The world can also seem "turned upside down" when we are distant or separated in relationship from the Lord Jesus. In the account from Luke, above, Jesus has just delivered a man who has been held captive by demons for a long time. In the place where he lived, his wild behavior had become part of their world. They may not have enjoyed this man, but he was part of their reality. When Jesus set the man free, and he was restored to his right mind, the locals reacted strangely. Rather than embracing Jesus and showing gratitude for this deliverance they rejected Him. The thought occurs that when we are distant from the Lord, even that which is good can be construed to be bad and that which should attract us to Him can cause us to separate further. Embracing the familiar can sometimes lead to an "upside down" experience with the Lord.
blessings,
Rob Smith
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