Angels must be perfectly fearful creatures (Hallmark aside) because their first words are "Fear not!". How ridiculous! Of course we react in fear. We are in the presence of Divine Power - or at least a Messenger of Divine Power.[I write all this without ever having encountered an angel as so described; I'm just speculating based on the Bible's stories.]
The folks in Gerasene never got a warning. No one stood up and said, 'Fear not!' Jesus simply stepped ashore and set a man free of the demons which had hounded him for too long. Jesus simply took a man who lived among the dead and gave him the chance to live among the living. Jesus simply stepped into a place controlled by darkness and made the light of the Creator shine.
It was more than the folks in this town could handle. In fact it was so frightening, they told Jesus to leave - to take his bag of tricks and get out of town. And he did; Jesus left. However, he did not abandon them; he insisted the man remain among them. Even if they never listened to this 'crazy man's' words, they would always have his very person there to remind them of the great power that came into their midst......and how they sent it away. Out of fear.
Fear that kept them living among the dead, in the darkness. No judgment here, just observation. But I wonder: How is our relationship with Jesus crippled by our fear? Where could we go if we truly trusted the power of this one, the Son of God? Who do we know that is living in the darkness? Could we be a part of inviting them into real life?
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