Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone.

Devotion based on Mark 7:36

In a world caught up in self-promotion, one might wonder why Jesus said, “Don’t tell anyone,” After he healed a deaf man. Why not spread his message? Why not let everyone be amazed at his power to heal? Why not give the people what they really wanted? Jesus gave the command because he wanted to give the people something better.

It is easy to want Jesus to be something he isn’t. It is just as easy to make him into something he never came to be. Jesus did not come into this world to make our earthly life easier. He came to provide rescue and relief from the burden of sin.

It is tempting to make Jesus into a physician, healing sickness. It is just as tempting to make Jesus into a counselor, resolving personal problems. It is tempting to make Jesus into whatever we want him to be, making life better. There is only one problem. If Jesus didn’t perform to the level of our desire, we would eventually have little use for him.

So, it is important to understand that Jesus came into the world to give us something better. He came to give us forgiveness and free us from the burden of sin’s guilt. He came to offer his life to rescue us from the punishment of death and offer hope. This is what we desperately need, and what Jesus graciously offers.

Jesus proclaimed his reason for coming into this world. It was “to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10). Unfortunately, many reject Jesus because he doesn’t live up to their expectations. The Bible leads us to know Jesus and rely on him for what he came to do. When we trust Jesus as our Savior from sin and death, we really do have something better.

Prayer: