PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Mark 7 :31-37
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“With a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!’)” (Mark 7:34)
When we talk about doing what Jesus did, we need to clarify what this means.
I’m not sure why he put his fingers in the man’s ears, or touched his tongue with spit.
But I am sure that this is not meant to be a method for healing people.
There were cultural and contextual reasons for many things Jesus did.
What they do tell us though is that he was immersed into that world.
He stepped into the real world, culture and context and all, to help people!
His focus was on people, helping, encouraging, healing and blessing people.
What we should learn from Jesus is how he loved and blessed all people.
Not just the covenant people, but Samaritans and people in Tyre and Sidon.
He was not just trying to impress people, he wanted to bless people.
This is why he urged silence, to keep things from becoming a circus.
“With a deep sigh” (deep inside) he wanted to “ephphatha” people’s lives (v.34).
Jesus calls us to “be opened” to all people, as he was, so their lives can “be opened”!
Do I step into my world “with a deep sigh” to bless people, or deaf and mute to them?
PRAYER
Lord, there are things about you I don’t understand. But what I do understand is your call to love and bless people. Help me to be open to this!
Lord open my eyes and let me see and praise you even more! Let me know you and praise you for who you are. Open my eyes, ears and loosen my tongue like this man: “…the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.” I keep thinking of the bottled up praise – uncorked – now opened with praise and thanksgiving!! Hallelujah – what a saviour!
Only Jesus can set me free. He is able – able to open my ears so that I can hear His voice saying follow me. Only when hearing His voice can we/I truly speak of the love of God. He can make His own speak of His power and love. And I nee to do the same – be an instrument of His peace.
1 Make me a channel of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me bring your love;
where there is injury, your healing power,
and where there’s doubt, true faith in you.
2 Make me a channel of your peace:
where there’s despair in life let me bring hope;
Where there is darkness, only light,
and where there’s sadness, ever joy.
3 O, Spirit, grant that I may never seek
so much to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love with all my soul.
4 Make me a channel of your peace:
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
in giving to all that we receive,
and in dying that we’re born to eternal life