An Imagining - Mark 7:31-37

I want you to imagine a particular split-second in the course of human history; just a second that went by like every other second for everyone else in all the world - except for one man. In the moments before this second, that man was motioned to by another man - "Come with Me" - and so he followed that man outside of his village. We can imagine them walking along together, winding their way along a trail, until they're now standing on the brow of a clifftop, overlooking the sea. Neither of them is looking at the sea. They're now squared off to each other, and the one is motioning to the other, trying to explain with gestures what He's about to do. The other man stares silently at the Gesturer, just as he always does with everyone, trying to make some sense of it.

You see, the man who's about to experience the split-second of his whole life - the redefining moment - stands on the top of that rise unable to hear. And unable, we're told, to speak intelligibly. His whole life - the every single second that has fleeted before this, the every single day after day after day - has all been a great silence. Every moment has been a vacuum of the senses. Until now.

Until the Man standing opposite suddenly plunges His index fingers into his ears, holding them there for one very awkward moment. Then, dabbing the tips of His fingers across His own tongue, the Man opens the other's mouth and gently touches the tip of his tongue. Then He glances up to Heaven. Lets out a deep breath. His lips move. He has whispered the command: "Open!"

The split-second is happening now.

It is happening before the deaf man even realizes.

He suddenly hears the breeze through the seagrass, the distant calls of the seagulls, the whistling of a shepherd nearby. 

He can hear the sound of the village market, the laughter of the schoolchildren, the jangle of riggings on a boat down below.

All at once, he hears it all. We can imagine that the experience nearly staggers him.

Until, looking forward again, meeting the eyes of the Healer, he hears the very first question he's ever heard in the course of his life:

"How does it all sound to you?"