I need to be unlocked

Albert Bogle December 14, 2020 0 1

Playlists

Add to Favourites

Save for later

Listen to this daily worship

Mark 7: 31-37 (NIVUK)

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. 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 spat 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 loosed 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.’

This incident in the reading today has been understood to mean a great more than a man receiving his hearing and his voice again — although that in itself is amazing and wonderful. St Ambrose called this event “the sacrament of the opening”. It was the scripture often read at a Baptism in the early church. The Christians of the third and fourth centuries, saw this miracle in the gospel as a sign of the opening up of the believer to God. Before such “an opening” we are locked in our own individuality, locked and imprisoned in our world of time with a finite end.

When we encounter Jesus he gently and graciously draws us to himself and releases us from our prison. He unstops our ears and loosens our tongues and cries a pain filled “Ephphatha” (Be Opened); like the cry from the cross “It is Finished”, “Ephphatha” brings an end to death and imprisonment. We are opened up to eternity and we discover the rushing sound of forgiveness and reconciliation filling our bodies. Our tongues find themselves loosened to praise God and almost forced to witness to his amazing love and grace. In our world of lockdown perhaps we need to hear that commanding voice once more, crying this Christmas “Ephphatha”.

Advent Action:

Write down in your journal the part of your life you feel God needs to put his finger on in order that you can be opened up to praise and wonder this Christmas. Pray now that you might be opened.

PRAYER:

Lord,
I need 
To be unlocked
Opened up 
I need some fresh air
I need to live
I need to face the truth
There is so much I don’t want to hear
There are things I dare not speak 
Locked in my time capsule
Living my history over and over again
I can’t go on
Pretending another Christmas
I’m running out of energy

Standing before eternity
I marvel at life
Through my window
And look for more
As Christmas approaches
The bright morning star shines
I long to be guided
To understand
To be understood
Unblock my ears
that I might hear your voice - 
Let your breath speak to me 
the words “Be Opened”
What wonders might follow?
Then my lips would surely sing your praise
Even “sing a rainbow”.