“Now a large herd of swine was feeding at some distance from them.  The demons begged him, “If you cast us out, send us into the herd of swine” (Matthew 8:30).

All of us who have life want to hold onto it.  Even those who take their lives are desperate for real life.  The wicked are no different.  They think life in a herd of swine is better than no life.  The Lord and giver of life has offered for us to live life as it is meant to be lived.  Why not come into that life and live the way You have been created to live?  This is the offer of salvation.

Lord, You know how much I like the idea at times, but often, I get wrapped up in my present life and I would rather have momentary pleasures.  Take me away from the place where I would settle to living in a herd of swine.  I know that in saying this, it is a metaphor, but how often do I choose to live in just this way?  Open my eyes to see the better offer that I may live as You have created me to live.

Lord Jesus, You Who are the author and finisher of my faith, guide me in Your goodness so that I may humbly come into the life for which You have prepared the way.  Open my eyes, and help me to take those feeble steps which You must complete so that I come into that life and live according to the Father’s will.  Teach me what I need to learn and help me to always hear Your voice above the noise of this world.  Amen.

“Suddenly they shouted, “What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” (Matthew 8:29)

The wicked ones know who Jesus is.  It may surprise you when you realize that the truth of Christ is pronounced even by those who deny His salvation.  The wicked ones know, yet many humans remain in a cloud of darkness.  This too is a mystery.  But do not let the mystery keep you from the salvation which is offered through Christ.  He, the author of all life, offers His gift of grace that we may come out of darkness and into the light.

I know Your word says that the light is shining in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.  Guide me by Your goodness and mercy to come into Your light and live according to the mercy and grace that You grant.  Guide me, Lord, so that I may humbly walk with You, my Savior, and live the life for which I was created.  In Your goodness, guide my eyes to look upon You and live.  Do not let me follow the voices of the wicked who shout out and distract me.

Lord Jesus, Light of the world, wherever You are, the wicked tremble.  Be in me so that I see the trembling, firstly of the wickedness in me, but also as Your presence in me causes the wickedness in others to tremble.  Let this be done only in humility, for it is You and Your light in me and I am but Your servant.  Guide me to faithfully live out the life You have given me here and now.  May Your light shine in and through me today.  Amen.

“When he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs coming out of the tombs met him. They were so fierce that no one could pass that way” (Matthew 8:28).

There is the God of heaven and earth.  Also, there are the powers and forces of darkness in this world.  Never forget, our Creator is the One through whom all things have their being.  The good things of this world have, all too often, gone  bad.  We see this in human history.  Indeed, there is the question of why, but never forget that all things are in the Lord’s hands and we, who have gone bad by sin, are offered the gift of redemption in Christ.

Lord, I do not fully understand good and evil, yet I know it is all around me and in me.  Let me not fall into the trap of sin and deny such things as are plainly shown in Scripture.  Guide me in the goodness You give to be one who overcomes by Your grace the evil in me.  Help me to understand fully that You are God, and I am in Your hands, as are all things.

Lead me, Lord, through, the wilderness of this life.  Guide me today and each day so that I look to You, the author and finisher of my faith.  Help me to understand that for Your reasons, You allow many things that I may not understand, but You have already overcome evil for those who turn to You.  Lead me to the salvation You have procured that I may walk with You always.  Amen.

“They were amazed, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?” (Matthew 8:27)

What sort of man indeed?  The question is answered with the truth.  The only One with almighty power and authority has walked among us.  Jesus is God in the flesh.  Jesus and the Father are One.  Who indeed?  The Lord of lords can and does calm storms.  Even if He does not, he has complete control over our circumstances.  Trust in the God/man who came to redeem those who will love Him. For He is Immanuel — God with us.

Many around us marvel at the thought of who Jesus is.  We think about this for a little while and then go back into the routine of our daily life.  We have been called through the water of our baptism to come to the place of knowing who Jesus is.  Then we are invited to journey all of life with Him.  Not just life here and now, but eternal life with Him always leading the way.  Take up your cross to endure the storms of this world and follow Jesus.

Lord, this is still a great mystery.  You have come that we may have life and have it abundantly.  Guide me on the way of everlasting life so that I may now and always walk in the goodness and mercy that You give me.  Help me to look to You alone for my future.  You are the Word who gives eternal life.  May I always walk as You lead me and live according to Your word.  Amen.

“And they went and woke him up, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”  And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a dead calm” (Matthew 8:25).

Why are we afraid?  Behind this is the reality of the whole sin issue which is at the heart of the current predicament.  We want to sit in the place that belongs to God alone.  He knows our time.  All of it.  Yes, we fear and at times it is warranted, but often, the real issue is that we do not live in faith where we know all things are in the Lord’s hands.  Do not live in fear.  Be safe, but bold.  Be guided by the truth that you really are in the Lord’s hands.

Lord, I do have irrational fears.  A plane bumps and I stress.  Help me learn how to be prudent without fear.  Guide me in Your goodness to know that in You alone is all hope.  Let me live in such a way that I may be guided in Your goodness and mercy, so that when the storms of life come, I know, in faith, that all things are in Your hands.  Guide me, dear Lord, to see that in You is my hope.

Lord Jesus, You rebuked the wind, and it was calm.  Whether You calm the storm that swirls around me or allow me to weather the storm, help me to understand that I am now, as I always have been, in Your hands.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to see that in You I have the only hope that is true.  Help me to be calm, bold, prudent, and above all, trusting in You every moment.  Amen.

“And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him.  A windstorm arose on the sea, so great that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep” (Matthew 8:23).

Jesus leads us even in the small things.  He leads to places we may not know, but He knows.  Let me ask you a question, “Does Jesus know when you are going to die?”  Of course.  Why then do you fear dying?  You will not change the moment; it is in the Lord’s hands.  Why do you fear anything but the LORD.  Nothing was going to happen to Jesus because it was not His time.

Lord, I do fear, but I know in faith that such fear is irrational.  It is not that I want to be callous or indifferent, but that I often do want to have faith such that I do not have that irrational fear.  I live thinking I have some power to do things, but all power is in Your hands.  Help all to look to You knowing that life and all elements that surround it are in Your hands.  I need help to be bold in faith and not live by the fear which comes from the wicked one.

Heavenly Father, You created all things, and You are my Creator.  I am to fear You above all things.  “All things” means all things.  But I do fear things.  Great storms come in my life and I become uncertain.  Guide me through this fear so that no matter what storm comes, I may live in the hope that You give.  Guide me today and each day You give in the grace Your Beloved Son purchased on the cross that I may come in prayer to Your throne of mercy.  Amen. 

“ Another of his disciples said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”  But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead” (Matthew 8:12-22).

Funerals are big business.  We want to celebrate the life of the one gone, even if they were not decent people in life.  It is much more understandable when they were decent people.  But this misses the point.  We are called to look to Jesus, and He is calling us to the eternity for which we are heading.  Yes, honor the dead, but do not let your focus remain there.  Be guided to live into the life to which you have been called.

Holy Spirit, you know how much my inner life conflicts with my life in this world.  It is not that You are calling me to go into seclusion, but that You are calling me to live a balanced life.  Guide me, Lord, so that I may always walk humbly with You.  Lead me to become the person I am being made to be by grace through faith.  Guide me to see that in You alone is my future.

Lord Jesus, You are not being harsh, but truthful.  Lead me according to Your goodness to live this day with my eyes always upon You.  No matter what I do, let it be with the heavenly kingdom in mind.  May my actions on this day be faithful.  Help me so that nothing gets in the way of me living faithfully with You.  Let me be obedient in doing what You give me to do.  Help me to always follow You.  Amen.

“And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20).

The truth is that this applies to all who walk with Jesus.  We may have a lovely earthly dwelling and our circumstances may be fine as far as this age goes, but there is always that unsettled feeling that we are not yet where we need to be.  The truth is that this world is not our home.  We were created to dwell with the Lord, knowing Him.  But sin has brought us to this place.  Let the unsettled part of You long for the Lord’s eternal presence.

Holy Spirit, You know me inside out.  You know where I am comfortable with things in this world that sometimes get in the way of me living by faith.  Help me to live out the faith You have given me, knowing that my true home is with You.  Do not let me settle into routine when there are things I need to be doing.  Guide me so that I may, now and always, walk with You, resting in Your goodness.

Lord Jesus, You had no place in this troubled world to rest.  Often, although my surroundings are peaceful, I too do not feel at rest.  Guide me according to Your goodness to live in the peace surpassing understanding which You give.  Help me to have that peace in my spirit most especially when chaos is all around me.  Direct me so that my eyes are always upon You and not taking comfort in things that are temporary.  Amen.

“Now when Jesus saw great crowds around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side.  A scribe then approached and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go” (Matthew 8:18-19) .

How many times do we make a pledge and then go back on what we have just said?  The idea of intellectually acknowledging Jesus is not the same as to actually follow Him.  To follow Jesus means to go wherever He goes.  Yet, the truth is, we need to follow Jesus to wherever He will take us.  The Lord is Lord of all, and all things have their being in Him.  The question before each of us is truly a matter of life and death.

Lord, You know how weak I am and how I make quick decisions and then go back on them almost immediately.  I want to follow You, but You know how weak I am.  Guide me, Lord, so that I walk humbly with You always.  No matter where You take me, be the One who gently leads me along.  I want salvation, I just want it at no cost to me. But I know life does not work that way.  My struggle is between what I want and reality.

Lord Jesus, You have come revealing truth and life.  There is no true life apart from You.  Help me to be a willing follower, doing what You would have me do in order that I may learn how to be faithful in this call You have given me.  In Your goodness, be my guide.  In the Father’s will, take me where I need to go.  In all things, help me to look to You alone as the One who will save me.  Amen.

“This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah, “He took our infirmities and bore our diseases” (Matthew 8:17).

Our Lord took upon Himself the evil of this world on the cross.  He who knew no sin became sin on our behalf.  We are barely able to grasp this truth.  How can the perfect God take on such imperfection?  This is one of the mysteries of our age.  Scripture says that this is what He did.  Rejoice and be glad, for our Lord has done for us what we could not do for ourselves.  He understands the hardships of this world.

Lord, I know the pain in life that I have experienced.  To multiply that to all people of the whole world is more than I can understand.  Help me to step away from the place where I want to know these things into the place of faith where I trust You in all things.  Guide my new heart which You have put into me so that I live in accordance with what You know I need.  Lead me in the Father’s will.

Come, Holy Spirit, and kindle in me the desire of the Father’s heart that I would move beyond the infirmities of this world, seeking to do what is needed this day as You are directing me to act.  May my heart be ready this day to live according to Your direction.  The Word made flesh has made it possible for me to join in Your heavenly direction.  Guide me to fulfill this day what You know needs to be done.  Amen.