Mark Reading Plan – W7D4
Week 7 | Day 4 | Mark 7:31-37
Pray
Pause and breathe for a minute. Then ask God to open your eyes and your ears to his Word.
Bible Reading (read these verses three times slowly)
Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him.
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. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.
Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
Reflection & Questions
We read today of a doubly-disabled man who is brought to Jesus. They just want Him to place His hand on their friend. However, Jesus has His own ways. How often we pray telling Jesus how to do something a certain way! But that’s not how Jesus works!
Jesus’ method in healing is strange, unless you remember the man is deaf and unable to speak. Jesus uses His own sign language with the man:
- Touched his ears (translation: I’m going to fix your ears)
- Spit and touched tongue (I’m going to fix your tongue)
- Looked to heaven (This is by God’s power)
- Sighed (I understand your plight)
- And only then did he speak a word, which is probably the first words this man heard!
What a beautiful way that our Savior shows that He is concerned in helping the masses, but helping them in an individual way.
He wants them to keep the healing quiet (see this reading for more about why), but the response of the people is right on: “He has done everything well.” That’s our Jesus – he does everything well!
- Has there been a time when Jesus answered a prayer in a completely different way than you expected? Thank Him for that!
- Are you expecting Jesus to do something your way, rather than allowing Him to do it His way? Why? How can you surrender to His ways?
Pray
Respond to today’s reading in prayer.
Worship Song
In response to today’s reading, you could use this song to worship Jesus:
Bible Reading
Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him.
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. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.
Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
Reflection and Questions
We read today of a doubly disabled man who is brought to Jesus. The friends just wanted Jesus to place His hand on their friend. However, Jesus has His own ways. Have you ever prayed to Jesus asking Him to do something exactly how you wanted it to be? Well, even then, Jesus has His own ways.
Jesus’ method in healing is strange, unless you remember the man is deaf and unable to speak. Jesus uses His own sign language with the man:
- Touched his ears (I’m going to fix your ears)
- Spit and touched tongue (I’m going to fix your tongue)
- Looked to heaven (This is by God’s power)
- Sighed (I understand your struggles)
- And only then did he speak a word, which is probably the first words this man heard!
What a beautiful way that our Savior shows that He is concerned in helping everyone, but is also helping them one at a time too.
He wants them to keep the healing quiet, but the response of the people is right on: “He has done everything well.” That’s our Jesus – he does everything well!
- Has there been a time when Jesus answered a prayer in a completely different way than you expected?
- How can you pray to ask Jesus to be in your life HIS way, rather than YOUR way?
Prayer
Pray and ask Jesus to do things in your life HIS way, and not our own way.
Bible Reading
Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him.
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. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.
Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
Devo Focus
“He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear the mute speak.”
Devo
Do you ever come to God making a request, but asking Him to do it in a certain manner that works best for you? As if God needs direction on how to answer your prayers… We read today of a doubly disabled man who is brought to Jesus. They just want Him to place His hand on their friend. However, Jesus has His own ways. How often we pray telling Jesus how to do something a certain way. Jesus has His own ways. Jesus’ method in healing is strange, unless you remember the man is deaf and unable to speak. Jesus uses His own sign language with the man:
- Touched his ears (I’m going to fix your ears)
- Spit and touched tongue (I’m going to fix your tongue)
- Looked to heaven (This is by God’s power)
- Sighed (I understand your plight)
- And only then did he speak a word, which is probably the first words this man heard!
What a beautiful way that our Savior shows that He is concerned in helping the masses, but helping them individually. He wants them to keep the healing quiet (see this reading for more about why), but the response of the people is right on: “He has done everything well.” That’s our Jesus – he does everything well!
- Has there been a time when Jesus answered a prayer in a completely different way than you expected? Thank Him for that!
- Are you expecting Jesus to do something your way, rather than allowing Himto do it His way? Why? How can you surrender to His ways?
Prayer
Respond to today’s reading in prayer.
