And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” Mark 7:34 – A man that couldn’t hear and couldn’t speak well was brought to Jesus for healing. Jesus, willing to heal him, pulled him aside and began the process of this man’s healing. We see that Jesus, right before giving the wonderful command that opened this man’s ears and mouth to finally work properly, Jesus looked up to heaven…and sighed. That’s a unique phrase to see in this moment of healing. Why did Jesus sigh? First because the ministry of healing was an exhaustion for Him mentally and physically. We see Him often seeking out times of isolation and rest after long stents of healing people. We also though see the heaviness on Jesus’ heart when He sees right in front of Him the effects of sinfulness. Deafness wouldn’t be in the world if sin never entered in. Speech impediments, leprosy, disease, wounds, and demon possessions would have never been a part of humanity’s story if sin wasn’t a part of the story. Sin though is a part because of our choices. Jesus is seeing all this around Him this day and seeing the effects of sin, and the weight of all that causes Him to sigh deeply before this healing. Does our reaction to sin and its effects on people cause us to sigh like this too? Are we grieved by the results of sin in our world? Or if we’re honest, are we finding pleasure still from avenues of certain sins? While I’m not encouraging you to find yourself in an unsafe place, I’d encourage you somehow to find yourself witnessing the impacts of sin in this world. Maybe its walking through a hospital, maybe its driving through your downtown area, maybe its watching a history documentary of the Holocaust. When you witness the brokenness, the loss, the death, and the evil, my hope is your reaction is like Jesus’…a heavy sigh…and then doing the work of the Father immediately afterward to bring His healing into this world. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3098
Question To Ponder: How might you bring God’s healing into the lives of those around you?
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