Friday, September 7, 2012

Today’s text

Mark 7:34-37

Then looking up to heaven he [Jesus] sighed; and he said to him, 'Ephphatha,' that is, 'Be opened.' And his ears were opened, and at once the impediment of his tongue was loosened and he spoke clearly. And Jesus ordered them to tell no one about it, but the more he insisted, the more widely they proclaimed it. Their admiration was unbounded, and they said, 'Everything he does is good, he makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.'

Reflection

No, it is not good. It is life. He is life, and they are missing it. Don’t miss life.

Let your heart be taken in by the life he is. Be captured by the wonder of what you see and feel in him. Your ears will open and you will hear and speak as never before.

How do you hear? How do you speak?

Jesus hears the world with grace, in all its sorrow, hunger and joy. Captured by his life, the life of the one who sighs with care and loving mercy, you will hear your life and life around you with this same grace.

He doesn’t want your admiration or approval. They mean nothing to him. What he wants is for you to see and hear as he sees, as he sees and hears you.

He hungers for you to be as he is. That is his purpose and joy, the fulfillment of his life and yours.

He sees you through eyes of penetrating grace, knowing all of you and loving all of it because it is you, because all of it shapes a soul so unique no other soul is quite like it or ever will be.

Your soul, your life can shine with grace and understanding, blessing and hope like no other that has or ever will exist.

You are a special vessel of life and grace intended for your time and place. Your words can bless and encourage, grace and gentle the heart of people no one else can reach.

Your ears can listen and hear people who hunger to be known and understood for what they are in all their beauty and woundedness. Your ears can hear and heal the soul that hides beneath surface words and actions.

You can listen with grace and share the joy and sorrows of human hearts, as Jesus knows and shares the depth of your heart.

You can speak words of blessing that link hearts-to-hearts and minds-to-minds, as Jesus blesses you and pours the elixir of his gracious life into yours, opening your ears to hear and your mouth to speak.

You can heal the discord of cliques and family rifts, of party spirit and political polarization, of racial and national divides.

You need only allow your heart to be taken in, held, captured and conquered by the one who hears your heart and loves all of you, … the one whose sighs speak volumes about what is in the heart of God … for you.

Pr. David L. Miller