August 3

Deaf and Dumb

His ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain — Mark 7:35

It is a great thing to have deaf ears opened. In many places in the Bible we find the words, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” This suggests that there are people who have no ears, and also that there are those who, having ears, hear not. He who cannot hear is a great loser. The world is full of harmonies of sound. The deaf man misses all the pleasure which others derive from the songs of the birds, the tones of human speech, the charms of music. It is a great thing when closed ear-gates are opened.

Also, souls have ears — ears fitted to hear the voice of God and the harmonies of heavenly music. Yet there are many who are utterly deaf to these spiritual utterances. They hear God neither in the voices of Nature, nor in the whisperings of conscience, nor in the sacred words of Holy Scripture. Christ is able also to open these spiritual ears, that our souls may listen on this earth to the music of heaven. What blessing it would be to Christians if they would but ask Christ to open their ears to His word.

Then it is a great thing also to have our tongues loosed, that we may talk of these things to others. Some people, however, who seem to have their ears opened, still have their tongues tied. They do not speak of God’s love. They have such an impediment in their speech when they talk of spiritual things that they stammer and hesitate and break down altogether, although on other themes they can talk plainly and fluently. There are Christian men who are eloquent when they talk of business, of science, of farming, or of whatever may most occupy their thoughts and hands; but the moment the subject of religious experience is approached, their eloquence forsakes them. They are tongue tied Christians. What a blessing it would be to them if Christ would some day loose the string of their tongue, that they could speak plainly!