Healing of the Deaf Mute Man (Mark 7:31-37)

Healing of the Deaf Mute Man (Mark 7:31-37)

What can we learn from this gospel?

Christ moved away from the crowd to avoid the distraction and the unnecessary publicity.  The healing in this story appears to be designed to evoke the co-operation of faith and to present the idea that, with faith, you will be open to the teachings of Christ.  Away from the interruption of a noisy and pressing crowd, quietly and privately, the man would be more attentive and receptive.

Christ showed humility as an example form of teaching, rather than being ostentatious/showy in healing.  Moving away from the crowd would indicate that only the believers, those with faith, followed and observed the healing.  Others would then be more likely to believe what they were told.

The story holds an important message in that it outlines the benefits and result of opening oneself to God’s teachings.  It also expresses that He is what humans should be – someone who does things well, to the best of their ability, who understands others, and forgives transgressions.

The man was in danger because he could not hear, physical death.  We are in danger when we do not hear God, spiritual death, which leads to eternal death.

Are we mute and deaf spiritually to God?  Do we seek to draw away from the crowd to listen and hear Him?  Do we faithfully act on His teachings and direction?  Christ often works out His purpose in spite of us and demonstrates God’s grace in granting us favor to honor our faith.

Are We Living in God's World?

Are we living in the world God created or the world Satan is deforming in opposition to God? So much of what takes place in this world today is lead by Satan and his followers. We see a culture of death being raised up, gender identity, sexuality, abortion, deceit, pervertion of what man was created to be, and so much more. Thought needs to be given to the real identity we all share and have in God.

We are wonderfully made in His image and likeness yet we shun that beautiful aspect of creation. We were given the task to care for our earth and each other yet we destroy without caring to replace what we take. We ignore the needs of others yet the world lead by Satan wants greed, power, control, and wealth. We see a world that was given to us by God and the humanity that we should be quickly becoming a pit where Christians fail to act and stand.

Do we celebrate the creation of man as God intended? Do we care for creation that He gave us to tend? Do we celebrate life? It seems Satan has lead the charge since the dawn of creation to make man shameful of our bodies made in the image and likeness of God, to pervert that which God made good, to deceive and lie about who we are in God. Human in form, cloaked by His Spirit, beings wonderfully made and beautiful to behold. Satan would have us find all that we have and are in God ugly and revolting. Satan's goal is to destroy all that God made good. We have a soul and a spirit, that if freely held onto, in the purity God made us in, is what Satan hates the most.

The challenge to all, is to stand bold in God and take back the Garden of Eden from Satan who through deceit, caused the fall of man from grace. God will take us back someday and let us back into the garden but only if we can overcome the impure world and live in God's world of grace, love, and spirit. We need to recapture the garden here and now lest all be lost to Satan and his followers.