Mark 7:33-35
New International Version
33 After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. 34 He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). 35 At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly
Tuesday - September 7
In the healing story preceding this one, Jesus healed a young, Gentile girl without even being in the same place. He spoke it and it happened. His word has power! Here, Jesus healed a man by literally shoving his fingers into the man’s ears and spitting on and rubbing the man’s tongue. Then he spoke. He commanded the man’s ears and his mouth to “be opened.” Who can do that? Who can speak and open ears? The one who created ears and hearing in the first place! That’s who. Jesus does what God has been doing since the beginning of time: speaking and making things new. As Genesis 1 says over and over, “God said… and it was so.” Jesus is speaking right now to open your ears so you can hear his promise of forgiveness and grace and open your mouth so you , too, can speak words of forgiveness and mercy.