(Audio)
He took him off by himself away from the crowd.
Healing is often a very intimate and personal thing. It resists the broad publicity crowds afford. It is a tender act of love between one and another. Jesus often does heal in the site of others. Perhaps these are analogous to the healing services in our own day where we see miracles in the presence of vast crowd. But there are many times when we see Jesus cast out all but a select few before he heals someone.
He put his finger into the man’s ears
and, spitting, touched his tongue;
then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him,
“Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”)
We do need to have our ears opened as well. We do not hear as well as we should. The crowds fill us with noise that gives rise to fear and uncertainty. We need to let Jesus lead us off by ourselves away from the crowd so that we can be entirely absorbed in his presence. He is healing our ability to put him first, to listen to him more than the clamor of all other voices. We may be used to the crowd. We may have managed their safely for many years. But it is much better to come away with Jesus. With Jesus we become who we are meant to be. We no longer merely survive, but begin to thrive.
Solomon began well, apart with God. But he allowed other voices to drown out that voice of his first love. The LORD was forced to discipline him in such a way that many voices that previously captivated him would again yield to the one voice that mattered.
I will tear away the kingdom from Solomon’s grasp
and will give you ten of the tribes.
May we not force the LORD to drastic measures like Solomon. May we rather follow the deaf man as he follows Jesus away from the crowd. Jesus is waiting to open our ears today. There is a degree to which every one of us needs this healing. May we all receive it.
“If only my people would hear me,
and Israel walk in my ways,
Quickly would I humble their enemies;
against their foes I would turn my hand.”
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