“Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country. Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains. So all the demons begged Him, saying, “Send us to the swine, that we may enter them.” And at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.”
Mark 5:10-13 NKJV
Rabbi, begone! Thy powers
Bring loss to us and ours.
Our ways are not as Thine,
Thou lovest men, we—swine.
Oh, get Thee hence, Omnipotence!
And take this fool of Thine!
His soul? What care we for his soul?
What good to us that Thou has made him whole?
Since we have lost our swine.
And Christ went sadly,
He had wrought for them a sign
Of love and hope and tenderness divine—They wanted swine.
Christ stands without your door and gently knocks,
But if your gold or swine the entrance blocks,
He forces no man’s hold—He will depart
And leave you to the treasures of your heart.
No cumbered chamber will the Master share, but one swept bare
By the cleansing fires, then plenished fresh and fair
With meekness and humility and prayer.
There He will come, yet coming, even there
He stands and waits and will no entrance win
Until the latch be lifted from within. Joseph H Odell.
Nomads2 