[ the other side of the lake ]

At church on Sunday, one of our associate ministers gave an incredible sermon. She spoke on a very difficult passage, Matthew 8:18 - 34. She talked about Jesus going to ‘the other side of the lake’, the region of the Gadarenes, and how it was considered not only to be the land of the Gentiles but the land of the pagans also; with strange practices, idol worship, and as v28ff discusses, frightening demon possession.

These two men whose lives had been so tormented by demons were so violent that no one could pass that way. In Mark & Luke, only one of these men is described — he is said to live in the tombs, and that he was chained up but would tear his chains apart. Night and day he would cry out and cut himself with stones. He is said to have not worn clothes or lived in a house for a long time, and in Luke we find that he had been driven by the demon into solitary places.

Di spoke about how many of the Jews at the time would have been hesitant to travel to a place with such people, and how frightening and foreign it all would have seemed. How it seemed like the ‘dark side’. But to Jesus, there is no ‘this side, that side’. Jesus loved all of these people. And so, Jesus goes to this area and brings healing and new life - and he asks us to do the same. In these passages, we often are left confused about why the demons were driven into pigs. It seems such a waste, such a destructive action. But then, Di spoke about the fact that the people of the town had probably gotten used to the destruction that was occurring to these men. But Jesus did not forget about them, and Jesus shows that nothing is too big of a ‘waste’ to heal those that He loves - and this is something He demonstrates fully on the cross.

Di also spoke about Jesus calming the storm in Matthew 8:23-27. The disciples are caught in a huge storm as they cross the lake. Before they’ve arrived in that dark ‘other side’, they have to face something that forces them to realise the authority of Christ. Jesus tells them, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?”, and shows His power when He rebukes the winds and the waves and it becomes completely calm. His disciples are forced to realise just how powerful He is. And so before they reach an area filled with frightening things in which they are meant to witness, Jesus gives them an opportunity to learn just how much authority He has.

And it is the same with us. We have been commanded to tell the good news of life in Christ to the ends of the earth - even to the ‘other side of the lake’. We are told to go to places which may be scary, foreign, and frightening so that we can share the love of Christ. And we must go. Because the people who are in those places - the people found on the other side of the lake - are people that Jesus loves so much. And before we are sent there, God will provide you with a storm, an experience that forces you to trust Him. Is there an experience in your life that you could not get through without the help of God? If not - pray for one. It is in the storm that we are reassured of His sovereignty and authority over all, and that we are prepared for the other side of the lake.

As I listened to all of this on Sunday, I had to hold back tears. I know what my other side of the lake is. I know that someone needs to go to those who are mentally ill, especially those with illnesses that rob them of their ability to understand what reality really is. Those who are social outcasts because they aren’t understood. Those who are tormented by the deceiver in their illness. Those who may even be violent because of their disorder, those who are locked up; those who cry day and night; those who cut themselves with stones. They are people who need to know what life to the full looks like. These are the people who need to know that Jesus is the way, the TRUTH and the life, because these are the people who struggle to discern reality from lies. These are the people who the church may have no idea how to minister to, but Jesus loves them, so much.

I have been shying away from this calling so far because I feel under prepared, and I have no idea where to even start. But I must start now - with prayer. I must start now to become prepared, and be willing to go to the other side of the lake. And I realised what my storm was. It’s bipolar disorder. This experience of suffering that has always threatened to get in the way of living a truly joyful life, is the experience in which I will learn that God is sovereign over the mind.

Please be praying for me. I still don’t really know where to start, but I know the solution is to ask God - if this is really what He wants me to do, He will show me where to start. There will still be many years before I can be working on the ground in this kind of ministry - I still need to get my qualifications as a psychologist and it’ll be four years before that can happen. But please join me in prayer for those who are mentally ill — may they be comforted by the endless love of God. And please pray that I work diligently to prepare myself for whatever work God is asking me to do, in my university studies, in my reading of resources that will be helpful, and in the decisions I make about further study in pastoral care and other areas. :)