Day Forty-Nine – February 15, 2020  

 

Read:

Mark 7:31-37 New Revised Standard Version

 

Ephphatha – be opened

Our son Michael is 25, almost 26 now.  When he was in kindergarten we discovered he was having hearing difficulties.  At first we chalked it up to ear infections and hoped it would resolve, but it did not.  So we began a journey that many of you have taken, of working with an audiologist and an ENT doctor.  Michael’s hearing loss is caused by both a conductive issue (bone problem) and a neurological problem. He has had some surgery on his “bad” ear.  When he was in elementary school the audiologist discovered that he had a hole in his “good” ear drum.  It was surgically repaired, and sadly a hole remained.  Michael needed yet another surgery.

 

Michael has always had a good sense of humor about his hearing loss.  We would joke that he was the only teenager who could truthfully say, “Mom, I didn’t hear you tell me to take out the trash!”.  He was always given a choice of what color his ear mold would be for his hearing aid.  When he was young he always chose wild colors, or school colors and proudly showed them off. 

Technology changed with each new set of hearing aids he received.  This photo was taken on the day he received new hearing aids.  I remember him making sounds “ssss”, “ffff”,  “ppppp”.  He would say to me, “Can you heart that?” He was hearing those sounds for the first time.  I hadn’t understood what he was missing.  He also received a wireless FM unit that allowed him to  hear his ipod through his hearing aid, and also hear phone calls.  He was talking to his dad on the way home from the audiologist.  He kept saying, “Dad, I can hear you on the phone for the first time in my bad ear.”  Ephphatha – be opened. Technology allowed Michael’s ears to be opened and it was miraculous for us. 

In the story from Mark the man is unable to hear and his speech is difficult to understand, which makes sense because it’s hard to know how to make the word “sounds” when you cannot hear them.  After Jesus heals him, the people can’t help but tell the story of the miracle, even after Jesus tells them not to tell.

 

Ephphata – be opened.

Our hard-of-hearing-ness isn’t always a physical issue.  Sometimes we are hard of hearing because we are just too busy.  We may be caught up in our own lives and miss the opportunity to really listen to another.  There are so many people who are lonely and aching for someone to spend time with them and listen to their stories. 

 

Ephphata – be opened.

Sometimes our ears are closed to the message God has for us.  Some are so bound up in shame, that they cannot hear God’s message of love and grace.  Some are so prideful that they miss the call to repentance and humility.  There could be a sin, usually an unconfessed sin, that we want to cling to, a sin we want to keep committing.  When this happens, we plug our ears with our fingers like a little child trying to ignore their parents.

 

Ephphata – be opened.

This could be a powerful prayer.  Ephphata – be opened.  Open my ears to hear your voice O God. Open my heart to feel your love.  Open my mind to the new things you would teach me.  Open my hands to the ways you are calling me to serve.  Open my feet to walk the road of discipleship.

 

This week, challenge yourself to be more of a listener than a talker.  Allow others to speak first.  Don’t jump in quickly when there is a moment of silence.  Allow those who are more introverted to speak without being rushed or talked over.  Consider going out of your way to spend time with someone who may be lonely and need a friend.  Pray that you would be opened!

 

Music:

Word of God Speak

Speak to Me (from the Color Purple) sung by the Argentina Gospel Choir

 

Prayer Focus:

Ephphatha – be opened.

 

Grace and peace,
Pastor Karen Bruins