Mark 7:36

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it.

For Meditation

“How could they keep it to themselves? They had never seen anything like that before. The man was deaf and could hardly talk. They all knew his condition was incurable. A school for the deaf may have been his best help. But they had faith enough to bring him to Jesus when he came to the region of the Decapolis. “They begged Jesus to place His hand on him” (Mk. 7:32). Maybe they had seen miracles happen before when Jesus placed His hands on some people. But Jesus rather took the deaf man away from everybody. He put his fingers into the man’s ears, spat and touched the man’s tongue, and commanded the man’s ears to open (34-35).

What condition can stand against the command of its Creator? The amazing thing is, “Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone” (36). But, how could they keep that to themselves?

Many times, Jesus commanded people in the same way. After doing something beyond human imagination, or opening His disciples to a divine manifestation, Jesus told them to keep it under, until the appropriate time. However, the more He demanded silence, the more they spoke about what they had witnessed – the power of God. So, why did Jesus demand something He knew was impossible for the people anyway? I believe He wanted us to know that the real beneficiaries of God’s grace cannot keep silent about it. When we see the power of God manifested before us, we cannot help but call others to rejoice with us. When the Holy Spirit opens the word of God to us, we cannot hold it in, but speak it. Jeremiah was right.

“If I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot” (Jer. 20:9).

1. Have you been touched by the saving grace of God?
2. Has His word been opened to you in a refreshing way before?
3. Have you experienced Jesus and His extraordinary workings in your life?
4. Why are you not witnessing about it to others?
5. Why are you not carrying the Gospel to “all the nations” as He has commissioned us to do (Matt. 28:19-20)?

I pray you allow nothing to hold you back from speaking about what Jesus has done for you to somebody today.

So: May Jesus overwhelm you by His manifest Presence today; and may you share your joy with somebody that they too may come to Him.

If you keep silent, Jesus can command the stones to cry out (Lk. 19:40)

Shalom