It’s amazing how much things can change when Jesus enters the picture in somebody’s life.
Mark 7:31-37 describe a change that is mind-boggling.
A deaf man who had somehow learned to speak a few, garbled words had been going through each day, one struggling moment at a time. Perhaps this had been going on for decades.
Deafness is tough now even with all the technology and increased attention of society to helping victims, not shunning them.
Imagine how it must have been back in Jesus’ day, particularly within the climate of compassion-less religious teachings that said deaf people were afflicted because of their sinfulness or the sinfulness of their parents.
Somehow, this deaf man — likely treated as an outcast by most people — had been blessed with some caring friends or relatives.
People who knew that Jesus was a miracle-worker and who knew that their deaf friend didn’t have any other hope of healing.
They didn’t know how Jesus would react to seeing this so-called “sinner” placed in front of Him. After all, Jesus was surrounded by teeming crowds filled with people wanting divine blessings or wisdom or healing.
But they figured this was their only shot and they didn’t care about the catcalls of others who might have told them to take a number and step to the back of the line.
They BEGGED Jesus to heal their friend.
Can you imagine how that desperation for intercession made the deaf man feel loved? Not alone in a brutal world?
Wow.
Jesus saw the dynamic of the moment and of the relationships and of the deaf man whose eyes were probably overwhelmed with a maelstrom of hope and uncertainty and fears that if this didn’t work, he would lose all hope of deliverance.
Jesus responded with the unthinkable.
Not only did Jesus make the deaf man His only priority at that moment, ignoring the crowd and even His own disciples in taking the man away so the two could be alone, but Jesus spit into His hand and then touched the man’s tongue with the saliva.
Oh my.
The social etiquette police of the day probably had heart attacks when they saw this happen from a distance.
But it worked. Along with Jesus’ spoken prayer for the man’s ears to be opened, the touch transformed the man into wholeness.
Wow.
Perhaps someone in your life needs the blessing of your intercessory spirit desperate to help him or her in their season of stress or fear or pain or loneliness or whatever.
Perhaps someone in your life needs to see that you care more about helping him or her than you do about peer approval.
Perhaps someone in your life needs to experience Jesus’ love and power and he or she might not if you don’t ask them to go with you to church or to Bible study or into a time of prayer.
Please let this Bible story move you as it does me.
You just might be amazed at how God moves in response.
As always, I love you
Martin
