Faithbase

Ashes to Beauty, Day 8. The Beams, or the Background. Today we continue through more stories of Jesus' miraculous healing during his time on earth. The Verse. Mark Chapter 7, Verses 32-35. There, some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on them. 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 he said, Epaphatha, which means, Be opened. At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened, and he began to speak plainly. The Steam. What does this mean to me, and how can I apply it to my life today? Life can be really loud sometimes. We all have several things yelling for our attention at the same time, all day. You're busy at work, trying to concentrate, but can't stop thinking about the laundry list of things you've got to do at home. Errands to run, people to check in with, the list goes on and on. We have these wonderful devices, smartphones, that are supposed to make life easier. I mean, you can get your shopping done with the press of a button. But, sometimes the constant connectivity is just another drain on our time, attention, and energy. As I read this verse, one word grabbed my attention, and I knew I needed to share it with you. Aside. I can just imagine the scene of this story. After finally finding Jesus, this man's friends are probably screaming and doing whatever they can to grab Jesus' attention in the crowd. So what does Jesus do? He takes him aside and away from the crowd. Even though this man is deaf and can't physically hear the yelling, the poor man is probably overwhelmed with all of the commotion. Jesus shows us that sometimes, when life is so chaotic, the thing we really need to do is to get away. To just be with Jesus, alone. In fact, it was my own need for Jesus that prompted me to write this entire series. It's during my time aside from the world and alone with God that he can whisper the much needed encouragement to my heart, which helps me make it through the rest of my chaotic day. Ideally, when the storms of life hit, we would love to be able to just stop what we're doing and get alone with Jesus, with a cup of coffee, maybe a journal and a blanket. However, if your world is anything like mine, that's just not likely. It's in those moments that I simply try to breathe and quickly pray, Lord, help me. And it never fails. When I get quiet, even if only for a second, he always brings to mind some song, some verse, or some comforting thought that helps me through. You may feel silly doing it at first, but give it a shot the next time your world seems to be spinning out of control.