Amazing Answers
Amazing Answers
When the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. Acts 3:9-10
Yesterday I was blessed to be a part of a ministry effort gone somewhat south. In short, what we mortal beings had planned was not what God had in mind. We ended up helping in a very different way from what we expected. As one member of my group commented on that the woman we were helping just laughed. “It ain’t nothin’ honey.” She said. “I’m not surprised. You say a prayer and ask God for help and He jus’ sends it along. Isn’t He amazin’?” As I responded in agreement that yes, God is amazing I started to laugh. I turned to her and asked if she’d received similar answers to prayer before. She said yes and I said I had too, so why are we still so amazed?
I think there are two answers to that question and I think both are true for me at various times. Sometimes we pray and pray and pray for something. The answer is a little slow in coming, or so we think and doubt begins to settle into our souls. Then God shows up and answers our prayer. Sometimes those answers are huge and surprising. Sometimes there are simple. In either case we are amazed because that demon doubt had caused us to think maybe God wouldn’t or worse, couldn’t, answer our prayer. In light of the answer we are amazed. “Well, will you look at that! He really is God.” Doubt is our enemy but even that doubt can be used to bring glory to God. When we’ve wondered, for whatever reason, if God is ignoring our pleas we are even more thrilled by His response.
The other reason I think God still amazes us no matter how many times He proves His majesty is alacrity. Take the example from Acts. The people have seen this lame beggar day after day, after day. Suddenly he’s up, leaping around, praising God. What? The people are filled with “wonder and amazement.” How could this happen? It’s impossible. Today we might think, well, with a whole lot of medical attention, some new technology or an enormous amount of physical therapy but come on, lame people don’t just jump up and walk! We would be just as amazed as the “people” from the Scripture. We pray and pray for healing but sometimes we just can’t see that it could happen.
My nephew has just received horrible news about his son’s health. There are no medical answers. The docs say there is no hope for a cure. No hope? That’s impossible! Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior and as long as that is true there is great hope, huge hope. Still, if someone were to go to Lucas’s side and pray, “Silver and gold I have none but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, be well” and Lucas was then well, we would all be amazed.
God still amazes us and while that seems a little odd based on the things we know to be true, it is understandable. It is understandable because we do doubt. It is understandable because sometimes it is so immediate, so enormous that we are simply astounded. Further it amazes us because we know good and well that we do not deserve it, not for a second. Everything we have from God is pure gift. Filthy, selfish, judgmental, arrogant, fearful, self-pitying, lying, cheating, adulterous dogs that we may be, God in His mercy loves us beyond measure. Those answered prayers are amazing but then they are answered by an amazing God.
When the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. Acts 3:9-10
Yesterday I was blessed to be a part of a ministry effort gone somewhat south. In short, what we mortal beings had planned was not what God had in mind. We ended up helping in a very different way from what we expected. As one member of my group commented on that the woman we were helping just laughed. “It ain’t nothin’ honey.” She said. “I’m not surprised. You say a prayer and ask God for help and He jus’ sends it along. Isn’t He amazin’?” As I responded in agreement that yes, God is amazing I started to laugh. I turned to her and asked if she’d received similar answers to prayer before. She said yes and I said I had too, so why are we still so amazed?
I think there are two answers to that question and I think both are true for me at various times. Sometimes we pray and pray and pray for something. The answer is a little slow in coming, or so we think and doubt begins to settle into our souls. Then God shows up and answers our prayer. Sometimes those answers are huge and surprising. Sometimes there are simple. In either case we are amazed because that demon doubt had caused us to think maybe God wouldn’t or worse, couldn’t, answer our prayer. In light of the answer we are amazed. “Well, will you look at that! He really is God.” Doubt is our enemy but even that doubt can be used to bring glory to God. When we’ve wondered, for whatever reason, if God is ignoring our pleas we are even more thrilled by His response.
The other reason I think God still amazes us no matter how many times He proves His majesty is alacrity. Take the example from Acts. The people have seen this lame beggar day after day, after day. Suddenly he’s up, leaping around, praising God. What? The people are filled with “wonder and amazement.” How could this happen? It’s impossible. Today we might think, well, with a whole lot of medical attention, some new technology or an enormous amount of physical therapy but come on, lame people don’t just jump up and walk! We would be just as amazed as the “people” from the Scripture. We pray and pray for healing but sometimes we just can’t see that it could happen.
My nephew has just received horrible news about his son’s health. There are no medical answers. The docs say there is no hope for a cure. No hope? That’s impossible! Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior and as long as that is true there is great hope, huge hope. Still, if someone were to go to Lucas’s side and pray, “Silver and gold I have none but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, be well” and Lucas was then well, we would all be amazed.
God still amazes us and while that seems a little odd based on the things we know to be true, it is understandable. It is understandable because we do doubt. It is understandable because sometimes it is so immediate, so enormous that we are simply astounded. Further it amazes us because we know good and well that we do not deserve it, not for a second. Everything we have from God is pure gift. Filthy, selfish, judgmental, arrogant, fearful, self-pitying, lying, cheating, adulterous dogs that we may be, God in His mercy loves us beyond measure. Those answered prayers are amazing but then they are answered by an amazing God.
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