A Mouth Touched by the Master

Many of us tend to say too much, so it's hard to understand the plight of someone who cannot speak at all.

Remember Zechariah? The angel Gabriel brought him a welcome but startling message. After years of praying for a son, Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth were going to receive their heart's desire: a baby boy.

But Zechariah found this hard to believe. How could they conceive a son in their old age? Indignant, Gabriel made another announcement. Because the old priest doubted the angel's words, he wouldn't be able to talk until the baby was born. It's safe to say that during his nine months of silence, Zechariah not only learned some sign language. He also learned to appreciate the gift of speech. Once his son John was born, Zechariah would hardly quiet down, bursting forth with a song of praise and prophecy (Luke 1:67-79).

Among the afflicted crowds who came to Jesus for healing were those known as "the dumb." What a humiliating title! They weren't stupid; they just couldn't talk. But their disability must have made life difficult.

One day Jesus encountered a man who was deaf and could hardly speak. The fellow must have struggled to say "I love you" to his wife. He couldn't read a story aloud to his kids. No one asked him to say grace before a banquet or read Scripture aloud in the synagogue. He found it hard to barter with merchants, order a meal, or communicate with his boss. He missed the simple joy of singing a tune or conversing with a friend.

Protecting the man's dignity, Jesus took him aside, away from the crowd. In sign language anyone could understand, the Lord put his fingers into the man's ears. Soon the deaf man would be able to hear clearly. But what about his speech impediment?

Jesus used an unorthodox method to perform this miracle. "He spit and touched the man's tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, 'Ephphatha!' (which means, 'Be opened!'). At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly" (Mark 7:33-35).

This miraculous healing created quite a stir. "People were overwhelmed with amazement. 'He has done everything well,' they said. 'He even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak'" (Mark 7:37). Surely the man Jesus healed never forgot the day the Lord touched his tongue. Surely from then on, he used his mouth to praise the Lord.

Has the Master touched your tongue? Have you yielded your speech to the Lord's control?

Speech is God's gift. A mouth touched by the Master will not be filled with gossip, rudeness, and dishonesty. It will not be filled with obscenity and coarse joking. A mouth touched by the Master will encourage others. It will speak with faith and boldness, with gentleness and respect, with grace and truth.

The songwriter wished, "O, for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer's praise." You and I don't have a thousand tongues, but let's honor God with the one we have.