Ephphatha

I can only imagine being a deaf and mute person in biblical times.  I assume people would stare at you blankly when you didn't respond to them during conversation.  I doubt you would have many friends.  How could you hold down a job?  They didn't have hearing aids or computers that were able to talk for them back then. Communication is such a huge part of life and relationships; the life of a deaf and mute person would be difficult today, let alone in those days.

Imagine how that man must have felt when Jesus healed him!  Ephphatha!  Be opened!! Suddenly, you could speak freely and hear clearly!  You would automatically believe the healer was the Savior and be opened to His word...even if He did spit on his hand and touch your tongue;)

Recently, I've landed myself in the middle.  I try to avoid the middle, but it's not the first time I've been here and I'm sure it's not the last.   Sometimes I'm stuck directly in the middle right inside my very own head!  But when I'm here, I feel tongue tied and twisted. A little like the deaf and mute man might have felt until he was healed.

I know that if I'm going to live in the middle I have to keep my opinions to myself.  Struggle with the thoughts that are dancing around in my mind until I can clear the cobwebs.  I've learned this lesson the hard way...again.  When my emotions are not in check, the words often seem to rhyme even when they are wrong.

I changed my name, but I'll always be a Runion.  You know, act first, apologize later. This is why, as I grow older, I generally steer clear of emotional topics, political debates, or taking a stance publicly. 

I stay away from the emotional topics because I believe that generally people are good.  I believe that most people want what is right; what is just.  Maybe we don't understand what others are fighting for, what battle is tucked safely, deep down in their heart that is causing actions and reactions? Perhaps the emotional string that a friend or foe clings to so very tightly is protected with armor because they will unravel if you start pulling at the string.


Wouldn't it be AMAZING if right when we were in the middle of an argument heated discussion (you know, right before you slam the door and stomp off-Yes, I totally still do this), we could scream: EPHPHATHA!  The person we are fighting discussing with could then look into our heart and understand. You know, what certain emotions are tied to, why a certain belief is so strong and close to their heart, why you feel so strongly one way or the other.

Or when you make a decision, right or wrong, and it hurts a person you love.  Wouldn't it be great to scream EPHPHATHA and let them see that the decision was not made to hurt them or cause them harm.  Certainly, they might still be hurt, but they could see that you made the decision with love.

Maybe even when Keegan has 10 dry days and then a day where he has three accidents in one day.  I could  lovingly see into his heart and know what he was thinking and why he didn't walk his cute little white behind into the restroom.  He could see into my heart and understand my frustration.  We could work together at the problem instead of fighting against each other. He would no longer feel guilt/shame/outcast when he had an accident and I would no longer feel anger/frustration when I noticed because we could see into each others hearts.

And  what if we forgot to scream it from the rooftops when were in the middle of the discussion? Perhaps we could grab our microphone and amplify our apology: EPHPHATHA! I am sorry.  Be opened. 

Wouldn't that be amazing?

His word offers this!

Ephphatha! BE OPENED.

Be opened! 

Open your eyes and your ears.  Open your heart.  Over and over again, be opened.

I can only dream of how many people I could bring to their knees if I could scream EPHIPHATHA when they ask if I chose to cut my hair like this or look at me with pity.

Be Opened to His promises, to His forgiveness, to His Grace.

Mark 7:31-37

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Heals a Deaf and Mute Man

³¹ Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis.^{[a] 32} 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.
³³ 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. ³⁴ He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). ³⁵ At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.
³⁶ Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. ³⁷ People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”