Unlimited: Jesus Takes Us Apart From The Crowd
Sep 9, 2021 1281
After Jesus had taken him aside from the crowd, he stuck his fingers in the man’s ears. Then he spit and put it on the man’s tongue. Jesus looked up toward heaven, and with a groan he said “Effatha!” which means “Open up!” At once the man could hear, and he had no more trouble talking clearly. (Mark 7:33-35, NIV)
The personal touch of Jesus is everywhere in the Gospel of Mark. In chapter seven we have a typical story of how Jesus served.
Some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk. They begged Jesus just to touch him. (Mark 7:31-32, CEV)
We are all like that man. We are deaf to God. That’s how we were born. Because of that we cannot speak for God. So often the words that come from our mouths witness to the devil.
What does Christ do? First, Jesus takes the man “aside from the crowd,” and then he touches him. If you want to be like everybody else, forget it! Jesus has to take you apart from the multitude. He will set you apart in your thinking and in your behaviour. A Christian stands out from the crowd.
Jesus takes the man apart from the crowd.
You measure a tall building by the shadow it casts. That’s the way you measure a person. No shadow, no height. To be a Christian, you’ve got to be different, and you may not be loved because you’re different. People fear those who are different.
Jesus took the man aside from the crowd, touched him, looked to heaven, “and with a groan,” healed him. Our healing is only made possible through the sorrows of Christ. – Des Ford (adapted)
Reflection: Is “the personal touch of Jesus” evident in your life? Find a quiet, peaceful place, “apart from the crowd”, and take your Bible with you there. Spend some time reading the Word and praying to the Lord, inviting him to touch you with his healing and grace.
Leave a Reply