CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 773

“Ears to Hear”

Mark 7:32 (ESV)  And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.

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Life in general is frustrating.  You live in a world of total silence and are constantly startled as someone suddenly appears in your field of vision because you cannot hear them approach.  Communication, the ability to hear, understand, speak, and be understood is the most frustrating of all.  Your tongue feels like a lifeless log in your mouth and though you can feel the vibrations in your throat from the noise you make, by the expression on people’s faces you know the noise is unintelligible.  Unable to read or write, your most effective means of communication is to point and use hand gestures.

You have friends and family you totally rely upon and trust to care for your needs.  Your security is wrapped up in them and you willingly go with them when they take you by the arm to see the Man that the crowds are following.

Fear wells up inside of you as this Man takes you by the arm and leads you away from the crowd and the people you feel most secure with.  You keep turning your head looking back at your friends seeking assurance from them that this is going to be alright.  Then you feel His hands cup your face and gently but firmly turn your head so that you are looking at Him and only Him.  He has to do this a few times before you understand that He wants to communicate with you so you decide to meet His gaze intently.

You feel His fingers touch your ears and you realize that He is going to do something about your hearing.  A feeling of anticipation begins to flood your soul.  He turns His head and spits and then He touches your lifeless tongue with His fingers.  Spitting is not something your tongue has allowed you to do so you understand that He is showing you that He will do something to heal your ability to speak.  Now He breaks eye contact with you and looks up to Heaven.  You look up also and realize that what will happen to you is going to come through prayer and by God’s hand.  To God be the glory!  Then you feel His breath.  You cannot hear His prayer but you feel it as He exhales His deep sigh close to your face while mouthing the word “Ephphatha”.  A cacophony of sounds assault your ears and you can hear for the first time in your life.  Then you hear the sound of your own voice clearly speaking praises to God and there is no stopping the flow of praise and testimony as you tell everyone what Jesus has done for you.

Is Jesus seeking to communicate with you, one on one?  Is He leading you away from all that you place your trust and security in instead of Him?  Do you feel His hands gently cupping your face to turn your head to look to Him and only to Him for what you need?  What is He touching in your life to communicate to you that He is going to do something about it?

May you order your life to have alone time with God and His Word.  May you have ears to hear His Holy Spirit communicate direction and purpose to your life.  May you know His peace as you trust in Him and seek His kingdom and righteousness first in your life.

Close in prayer, thanksgiving & dedication of your work to the glory of God.