“Be A Practical Intercessor!”

“Be A Practical Intercessor!”(Mk.7:31-37).
“Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. 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. 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. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, ‘Ephphatha!’ (which means “Be opened!”). At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. People were overwhelmed with amazement. ‘He has done everything well,’ they said. ‘He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.'”
These few lessons from the text:

1. “No man is an island.” We need others if we have to go ahead in life.
2. The world needs people who are ready to put in their best for others to make it. We should be practical intercessors!
3. Sometimes, miraculous healing is not by words alone. In the text above, Jesus used touch, spit, and word to open the ears of the man and losen his tongue.
4. In as much as phones and social media offer the means of publicity, some things should not be publicised – especially miraculous healings. It is not likely that Jesus would have loved social media publicity for healing this nameless man. Jesus took the man aside, away from the crowd, before working on him. Jesus commanded the people not to tell anyone.
5. We may not see it as disobedience, but when Jesus commands us not to talk about something, we should not keep talking about it.
6. “A good wine needs no bush.” People were overwhelmed with amazement and said, “He has done everything well…”
   My friend, our Lord Jesus Christ, says, “Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” However, the deaf cannot hear him, the lame cannot go to him, and the blind cannot see where he is. All such differently abled people need some other people to take them to Jesus where their burdens can be lifted off them.There is nothing the Lord cannot do because with God, all things are possible.
   Sunday prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, make us practical intercessors for the differently abled near us. Amen!
   Have a blessed Sunday! Peace be with you!
   Rev Babila Fochang.
   23/08/2026.