THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 7:31-37
Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue.” (Mark 7:33)
I don’t know: this what I say when asked, ‘why finger in ear and spit in mouth?’
Aside from being weird and gross, it was also effective, it worked.
But I don’t think there was something in the method to be imitated.
Maybe Jesus had a reason – for the man, for the audience – that we don’t know about.
Maybe Jesus has a reason… for how He answers our requests, our needs, our problems.
Why are some answers direct, some indirect, some delayed, some weird or even gross?
I don’t know… but maybe Jesus has a reason, a good reason.
His goal is to truly help us, not just give us what we want or like.
Our lives and our attitudes are more complicated than we realize.
In the midst of this, the Lord works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform.
In this story, the people were probably also weirded or grossed out…
Until they saw the results, then they admitted ‘He has done everything well’.
I believe that one day we will see and say the same.
We will see the difficult, hard to understand circumstances in our lives.
The fog will clear, the results will be plain, and we will say, ‘He has done everything well!’
Until then, I don’t know… but I trust.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I don’t know… but You do. You know things about me that I can’t see, or won’t. Help me to trust You even when what You do is difficult to understand.
Jesus follower
trying to find His way
Observations/Application
Although the man was brought by friends to Jesus, he was not respected by the society at large during his day. This is still true in countries like Haiti where the deaf and dumb are outcasts. Once again the friends begged Jesus to lay His hands on Him. Remember the man coming through the roof? His friends brought him.
Jesus put His finger into the ear and on his tongue – the source of his problem. The man couldn’t hear but he certainly could sense the compassion/love when Christ came near and touched the areas all others thought that he was unclean.
There was this follower of Jesus who had a ‘thorn’ in his side and asked the Lord that it be taken away. It wasn’t and yet he was one of the greatest servants of the Lord. Sometimes the Lord takes the disease from us and other times He gives us the power to overcome and be His witness and still other times He takes His people from their disease.
In all circumstances, Jesus knows the heart of our issues, our secret thoughts, our trials, our weaknesses, and it is in those areas of weakness we meet Jesus.
What we hear has great influence upon our lives. Remember he saying as little kids – – – Sticks and stones may break . . . . But was a falsehood. What we hear can heal or hurt and my words can do the same – give healing or sorrow.
Lord help me always put my mind in gear before I speak my words. Let my words flow from my heart where You reside and make me an instrument of Your peace.
1 Savior, like a shepherd lead us,
Much we need Thy tender care;
In Thy pleasant pastures feed us,
For our use Thy folds prepare:
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
Thou hast bought us, Thine we are;
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
Thou hast bought us, Thine we are.
2 We are Thine, do Thou befriend us,
Be the guardian of our way;
Keep Thy flock, from sin defend us,
Seek us when we go astray:
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
Hear, O hear us when we pray;
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
Hear, O hear us when we pray.
3 Thou hast promised to receive us,
Poor and sinful though we be;
Thou hast mercy to relieve us,
Grace to cleanse, and pow’r to free:
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
Early let us turn to Thee;
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
Early let us turn to Thee.
4 Early let us seek Thy favor,
Early let us do Thy will;
Blessed Lord and only Savior,
With Thy love our bosoms fill:
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
Thou hast loved us, love us still;
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
Thou hast loved us, love us still.