The miracle of focus for July is the one we read about in Mark 7:31-37 where Jesus heals the deaf and mute man.
I pray this verse and meditation can fill our hearts with awe today for our compassionate, powerful Saviour! Much love, Lucy x
The Miracles Of God- Jesus Heals The Deaf And Mute Man
Mark 7:31-37
“Again, departing from the region of Tyre and Sidon, He came through the midst of the region of Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee. Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him. And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue. Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”
Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly. Then He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”
“Jesus healed the deaf man and loosened up his tongue.I pray this verse and meditation can fill our hearts with awe today for our compassionate, powerful Saviour! Much love, Lucy x
The Miracles Of God- Jesus Heals The Deaf And Mute Man
Mark 7:31-37
“Again, departing from the region of Tyre and Sidon, He came through the midst of the region of Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee. Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him. And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue. Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”
Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly. Then He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”
Lord, may our ears be open and our words speak of Your Son!
Let our hearts be sensitive to what You have to say.
Help us speak with boldness, pointing others to The Way!”
Luke 8:8
“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
Ephesians 6:19-20
“Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”
Insight and Reflection
I think it’s lovely to read, right at the beginning of this passage, about the passion and enthusiasm coming from the friends of the man who needed healing. This chapter tells us in verse 32 that they came to Jesus and begged Him to put His hand on their friend.
This is one of the examples we can find within God’s Word of people interceding on behalf of another and fervently bringing their needs before our God. The deaf and mute man certainly had his woes and troubles, but one positive thing he clearly had in his life was a group of loyal and faithful friends. I think it’s safe to say we could all do with friends like these!
Bearing that in mind, let’s ask ourselves:
Do I have any friends in my life who are in need of healing? Have I brought their situation before God in prayer? How enthusiastic am I when it comes to presenting the needs of others before the Lord? Do I pray as frequently and fervently for other people as I pray for myself? Can my friends count on me to faithfully invest time and energy in praying for their needs?
This passage goes on to show us quite a strange and curious way in which Jesus healed the deaf and mute man. Perhaps Jesus used touch because words would have been lost in this instance. A physical touch to one who can’t hear would have been a far more impactful and memorable experience for this individual.
Studying the different healings of Jesus’ ministry, we see a variety of methods and techniques used. Jesus could heal with a word, and He could heal without even saying a word. He healed some people on account of their faith in Him, and yet He healed others on account of a relative’s faith. Sometimes He healed people instantly; other healings came later on. What’s evident is that healing from Jesus can’t be restricted to “one method” or a particular process. His power clearly isn’t dependent upon any specific technique, but rather, it’s in line with the sovereign will of God.
As British evangelist, G. Campbell Morgan once wrote on this miracle,
“He (Jesus) adapts His method to the peculiar circumstances of need of the one with whom He is dealing. I am quite convinced if we could perfectly know these men, we should discover the reason for the method. In each case, Christ adapted Himself to the need of the man.”
It’s interesting as we go on to read that Jesus sighed as He looked up to Heaven and declared the words “Be opened”. This particular detail really shows us how grieved our Saviour is when He sees the pain and sorrow that sin has brought to His creation. His soul is weary and saddened to witness the impact of man’s rebellion on mankind as a whole and the suffering it’s ultimately brought to this particular man. Christ’s healing actions show a heart of compassion for His creation and His desire to bring restoration to a fallen world.
Towards the end of this passage we read the reaction of those who were witnesses to this miracle as they proclaim, “He has done all things well.” How true this is of our Lord. He certainly has done all things well, and this miracle of restoration in Mark 7 is a small example of the glorious miracle yet to come: the miracle of restoration and redemption for all.
A few final questions for reflection and contemplation:
Are my ears open to the Lord’s voice today and sensitive to what the Spirit might have to say to me? Is my tongue ready to speak the truth of the Gospel and share the love of Christ with those around me, or do I become tongue-tied when Jesus comes up as the topic of conversation?
May our ears be open and listening to the voice of our Shepherd today, and may our tongues be ever-ready to passionately proclaim the words of Mark 7, “He has done all things well!”
