The Light for Revelation to the Nations

Lord Jesus, we bless your name. You are the Righteous One, given as a covenant for us, The Light for the nations. You have come to open the eyes of the blind, unstop the ears of the deaf, cause the lame to leap like a deer, loosen the tongue of the mute to sing your praises! Our eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared for all peoples. (Isaiah 35:5-6, 42:6-7, Luke 2:29-32)

By your Spirit, may your Word heal any spiritual blindness or deafness we are struggling with today. Amen.

Scripture Reading - Mark 7:24-37 (ESV)
     And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 
     And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” 
     But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs.” 
     And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” 
     And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.
     Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. 
     And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 
      And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

Jesus, we see the good news going out to the Gentiles in this story. You are The Light for Revelation to the nations. You came to your own, but your own did not receive you. Yet to all who do receive you, to those who believe on your name, you give the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God! (Luke 2:32, John 1:10-13)

Father, we praise you for you are drawing people from all nations to your Son. For this is your will - everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, raised with Christ on the last day! As you draw people from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, we cry out “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (John 6:40-46, Revelation 7:9-10)

Jesus, please forgive us for the times we have been spiritually blind, deaf, and mute. Would you please come and heal us? We long for you to speak over our lives "Ephphatha." So that we would see you and hear your Word, responding in faith and praise. Amen.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.