Free to Hear and Speak

At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. Mark 7:35 (NIV)

Jesus took the man aside.  He was deaf and had a speech problem.  Some probably feared that Jesus could do nothing for him.  Jesus took Him where He could give personal attention.  Jesus did not only put His hands upon the man.  He put His fingers in the man´s ears.  He touched his tongue with His own saliva.  Jesus was giving of His very self.  He gave personalized, direct attention.  He looked up to the Father and gave the word.  In this moment, with Jesus and heaven perfectly connected, the miracle happened.

The poor deaf man was poor no more.  What before could not hear was corrected in an instant.  The problems of speech vanished at the voice of our Savior.  Our Healer removed the ties that bound the ability to hear.  He unleashed the tongue so the man could finally speak.

It is perfect.   It is beautiful.  God in His wisdom demonstrates His power and His care.  He shows His presence and His majesty in His creation.  The Father uses His Son to reach over the divide between Him and us.  He reaches out with His love and touches us with His Son.  The expression heals and restores His created beings.  We are changed from our limitations to a position where we can appreciate and share that Wonderful Presence.  Glory be to God in the highest!

The stories are for us.  The instruction and the guidance stand.  When Jesus prepares to teach us, the process is still good.  He sets the scene.  We find a need.  We seek Him for relief from our suffering.  We come to Him.  Where He is, we are restored.  He finds a way to be alone with the one who truly seeks Him.  His personal touch and His gentle voice change our entire reality.  Miracles happen and lives are healed.  Where we could not hear, now we hear His voice.  Where we could say nothing, we are free to speak of Him.

It is time for us to let Him do His saving work in us.  It is time to hear the voice that changes people´s lives.  Now is the moment where we who cannot hear may be healed.  This is the moment for you and me to free our tongues to speak.  Before we could only stutter of our frivolous ways.  Now we may be made whole.  We could shout from the rooftops with the clearest of voices.  We could sing praises to the name of the Son of God!  He is here to give us ears that hear Him.  He is here to put His words in our mouths.  His praise will flow from our lips.

Dear Jesus, we are tired of not hearing Your voice.  We stutter and cannot find words.  But You can heal us.  You can restore our ears and tongues.  You can make us whole.  Please come to us with Your personal care.  Please touch us.  Please give the word and we will be free.  Loose our tongues to sing Your praises.  Open our ears to hear Your sweet voice.  Most of all, come dear Lord.  Come to us and bring Your life-giving, healing presence we pray.

Amen