Today’s Reading: Mark 7:24-37, 8:1-13

After Jesus left Galilee, he headed north. A woman came to the house where he was staying and fell at his feet. She begged Jesus to cast the demon out of her little girl. Can you hear the desperation in her voice? Can you imagine the sorrow she was experiencing every time the evil spirit took over her daughter? She did not just ask Jesus to heal her daughter; she begged him for it. She persisted in her request and Jesus responded.

Since she was a Gentile, born in Syrian Phoenicia, Jesus told her, “First I should feed the children—my own family, the Jews. It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”

She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are allowed to eat the scraps from the children’s plates.”

“Good answer!” he said. “Now go home, for the demon has left your daughter.” And when she arrived home, she found her little girl lying quietly in bed, and the demon was gone. – Mark 7:26b-30

SHE BEGGED JESUS TO HEAL HER CHILD, AND HE DID.

Next Jesus went up to Sidon before heading back to the Sea of Galilee. A deaf man was brought to him, and the people begged Jesus to lay his hands on the man so that he could be healed from his speech impediment and hearing disability. Can you hear the concern of those who loved this man? They did not just ask Jesus to heal their friend; they begged him for it.

Jesus led him away from the crowd so they could be alone. He put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then, spitting on his own fingers, he touched the man’s tongue. Looking up to heaven, he sighed and said, “Ephphatha,” which means, “Be opened!” Instantly the man could hear perfectly, and his tongue was freed so he could speak plainly!

Jesus told the crowd not to tell anyone, but the more he told them not to, the more they spread the news. They were completely amazed and said again and again, “Everything he does is wonderful. He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak.” – Mark 7:33-37

THEY BEGGED JESUS TO HEAL THEIR FRIEND, AND HE DID.

About this time another large crowd had gathered, and the people ran out of food again. Jesus called his disciples and told them, “I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will faint along the way. For some of them have come a long distance.” – Mark 8:1-3

Jesus saw the needs of the crowd and responded in compassion. You would think his disciples would know by now how this works, but they still marveled over how they were supposed to feed the crowd with the amount of food they had. They had seen Jesus do wonderful things, yet they forgot that everything he does is wonderful!

His disciples replied, “How are we supposed to find enough food to feed them out here in the wilderness?”

Jesus asked, “How much bread do you have?”

“Seven loaves,” they replied.

So Jesus told all the people to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves, thanked God for them, and broke them into pieces. He gave them to his disciples, who distributed the bread to the crowd. A few small fish were found, too, so Jesus also blessed these and told the disciples to distribute them.

They ate as much as they wanted. Afterward, the disciples picked up seven large baskets of leftover food. There were about 4,000 men in the crowd that day, and Jesus sent them home after they had eaten. – Mark 8:4-9

THEY DIDN’T ASK JESUS TO FEED THEM, BUT HE DID.

Three stories of Jesus doing something miraculous, and there is one common thread. Do you see it? The little girl needed Jesus to do something amazing for her, but she did not ask. She was not in a place where she could. But she had a parent who responded to her struggle and fell on her knees in front of Jesus on behalf of her daughter. Her daughter was not healed after she asked Jesus once, so she persisted by continuing to beg Jesus.

The man with a speech impediment and hearing loss did not ask Jesus to heal him, but there were people in his life who valued him enough to take him to Jesus. When he could not speak the words to ask Jesus to heal him, his friends brought his needs to Jesus for him. Although he wanted his life to be different, it was his friends that had faith it could be if only he could meet Jesus.

The crowd had been following Jesus for three days. They were in the wilderness without food, with a long journey ahead of them. They did not voice their need to Jesus, yet he cared enough to recognize what they lacked and he provided generously for their needs.

EVERYTHING HE DOES IS WONDERFUL!

This is the Jesus of the Bible and this is the Jesus we serve today. We should keep praying for Jesus to heal our loved ones, because everything he does is wonderful! We should keep bringing our friends to Jesus, because everything he does is wonderful! We should keep following Jesus and trust that he will provide for our needs, because everything he does is wonderful!

They were completely amazed and said again and again, “Everything he does is wonderful. He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak.” – Mark 7:37