Luke 8:22  “…on a certain day…”
Marks of how the scriptures were written.  Personal memory may not be precise.  I can never remember exact dates of past experiences myself unless I have something to tie them to.  But the importance lies in what happened.

23  “…He fell asleep…”
Jesus was susceptible to the frailties of the human body just as we are.  As God, He neither slumbers nor sleeps, but as the man Jesus, He needed to rest.  Reason He came as He did, to be like us so He could save us.

25  “…Where is your faith…”
Matthew records that this occurred sometime after He had healed people and cast out demons.  If the disciples had any idea that Jesus was or may be the Messiah, they hadn’t fully grasped it yet.  Perhaps their minds told them He would heal the sick by a miracle of God, but it didn’t give Him powers of His own.  Bad logic if you consider Him the Messiah, but understandable from a fallen human perspective.

27  “…there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons…”
Wonder why the man met Him?  If the demons knew it was Jesus and saw Him coming, why did they meet Him?  Could the reason Jesus decided to go over to the other side be this man?

28-29  “…do not torment me…He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out…”
This one had been in there for a long time and put up some resistance.  Wasn’t going to do it any good, but it tried.

31  “…out into the abyss”
Other gospels don’t mention this phrase.  Commentaries were little help as there’s not much to go on.  Most considered the bottomless pit mentioned in Revelation.  Others just referenced the pit of Hell.  We’re not given much information at all about the comings and goings of those creatures in the spirit realm.  We get hints and references at times, but nothing specific.  Considering the mess men make with the little knowledge they are given, I understand why God doesn’t give us more.

32  “…they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them…”
Once the pigs died, would the spirits have to go on to the abyss or would they be released to just wander about?  Doesn’t seem like a smart move, but they could have asked out of desperation.

37  “…asked Him to depart from them…”
How sad.  They meet Someone who had saved this poor man from his fate, and they want nothing to do with Him.  Didn’t ask who He was or why He was there.  Gives you the impression they were more comfortable with the man being possessed than healed.

39  “…he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him”
Considering the whole episode, and especially the results, it appears more and more like this was planned by Jesus.  He instructs the disciples to go over to the other side of the lake, not just down to the next town.  A man demon possessed for many years meets Him, but the demons don’t want to leave so you figure they didn’t do it on purpose.  After He gets the demons out, the people of the region appear so cold hearted they just want Him to leave.  And He instructs the man to be a witness to them, which he does.  Usually read this story, and others, like random happenings.  But I’m thinking most were not.  Jesus took on human form to reach us, but He was still God.  God was still in control of events then as He is now with us.  I don’t believe in coincidences.  Things may not have the meanings we give them, but I think we need to trust God that nothing happens without His knowledge and control.  Either He designed it, or He allowed it to happen for a reason.  We just need to keep our eyes open for His reason.

I hope you enjoy reading and studying His word.  May it accomplish what He desires.  Please feel free to comment or post questions.  Thanks for reading!

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.