Mark_7
ScriptureMark 7:3737 People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”Observation Mark 7 starts with religious leaders finding fault in the disciples for eating with “unclean” hands. They call out the failure to “follow tradition” to which Jesus counters that “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” Further, he explains it is not that which that comes from outside the body that defiles; but, rather, that “from within, out of a person’s heart.”He then goes on to heal a Syrophoenician woman’s daughter and heal a deaf and mute man. UnderstandingJesus lived a blameless life, full of calling people into accountability and healing those with ailments. He was REAL through and through. He did not care for the worship of people’s lips if the way they lived their lives showed something else set on the throne of their hearts. He did not care of the religions laws and traditions were followed if the heart was not in the right place. And, as result of all of this, people followed him wherever He went. People shared the excitement of His presence and the things He had done…even when He asked them not to. Life ApplicationI loved this last verse because it reminded me of visiting a village in India late at night. Hearing of a woman who was having hearing problems as we were about to board the bus to go home and turning around to go find her, wake her up, lay hands on her, pray for her…and SEE HER HEALED.Although I am not going this year, I am so excited that we have a team of people with hearts after God going to share His love with people in India. The hands and feet of service will be multiplied, God’s love will be shared through fed bellies, healings of ALL kinds, people experiencing the deep-down-loved feeling of being seeing, known and loved. I look forward in anticipation to the stories the team will return with, stories of seeing God move, stories of being used by Him. Let us live out REAL lives like Jesus did – lives where our words, actions and hearts all align and are in alignment with God’s heart. And let us lift up those who are going, as an extension of Desert Streams Church in Santa Clarita, across the world to love on those in India. ReiTo check out the discussion or to join in click here.