MORNING REFLECTION
READY: The psalmist says he will proclaim God’s faithfulness and that God’s faithfulness is as firm as the heavens. To prepare yourself for this psalm declare how God has been faithful to you.
READ: Read through the psalm twice.
REFLECT: The psalmist speaks over and over of God’s faithfulness in this psalm. He speaks of God’s faithfulness in history to his servant David and God’s faithfulness in nature. God’s faithfulness is seen in the raging seas and in the heavens. God’s faithfulness surrounds Him. Spend time meditating on God’s faithfulness and how you see it in your surroundings and in your history.
REPENT: Repent of not trusting in God and His faithfulness.
REJOICE: The psalmist says that he will proclaim God’s faithfulness to all generations. Join the psalmist in proclaiming God’s faithfulness.
EVENING READING Mark 7:24-37
The Death of John the Baptist
24 From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre.* He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, 25but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. 26Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27He said to her, ‘Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ 28But she answered him, ‘Sir,* even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.’ 29Then he said to her, ‘For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.’ 30So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.
Jesus Cures a Deaf Man
31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. 32They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. 33He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. 34Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, ‘Ephphatha’, that is, ‘Be opened.’ 35And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36Then Jesus* ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37They were astounded beyond measure, saying, ‘He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.’
EVENING REFLECTION
READY: The Syrophonecian woman came and bowed at Jesus feet. To prepare for this passage see yourself bowing at Jesus feet.
READ: Read through the passage. Come to the text like the Syrophonecian woman and the deaf man came to Jesus. They came desperate with their needs and believing that He had something for them.
REFLECT: Verse 37 says, They were astounded beyond measure, saying,”He had done everything well; He even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak”. Meditate on this phrase”He has done everything well”.
REPENT: Spend some time in repentance. Repent of having little faith and ask God to increase your faith.
REJOICE: Jesus looked up to heaven and said, ‘Be Opened’ and immediately the deaf mans ears were opened and his tongue was released. Ask God to release your tongue in praise.
