Believe in Miracles

 

“I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours.”

Many people today talk about the lack of miracles in our world. They point to Bible accounts of healing, provision or protection and bemoan the fact that those things no longer happen. I heartily disagree. Miracles happen but far too often they are explained away as coincidence, science or fate. For anyone who needs to know that miracles are still very much a part of our Father's love for us I have a few examples.

Nearly thirty-five years ago I was given some tough news about my first born son. A well-respected neurologist told me repeatedly that he was brain damaged and only a miracle (that word spoken in a voice dripping with contempt) would change that. A bit later that same doctor had no explanation for the fact that on paper my child had brain damage but in reality it wasn't there. He was doing the things he would “never” be able to do and doing them much earlier than the average child. That doctor was not about to use the word miracle but he did go as far as to say that whatever happened was not medical. Hmmm..... okay doc, I'm going with my explanation, which is MIRACLE.

A dear friend of mine had three kidney transplants. He lived for many years at death's door. The final transplant was truly his last hope. Where there had been huge confidence in the first transplant, the last one was a long shot, his worst chance. It took! For the first time in years he was healthy. That was a miracle but of course it was easy for most people to give the credit to the doctors. Finally Jim was healthy. So healthy in fact that a young woman, driving too fast, decided to push the envelope for him and t-boned him. The doctors told his wife that he wouldn't survive. Three days later they said he might survive but surely he would have serious brain damage, maybe getting fifty percent back, if he was lucky. He was not lucky. He was blessed and today is as strong mentally and physically as he as ever been.

For the past week I have prayed and prayed and prayed for a beautiful little boy named Drew. His mama has been in my life since she was four years old and watching her watch her baby dying was as heartbreaking as life can get. I could not stop praying for them. Things took a positive turn but then stalled. It seemed that Drew was only coming halfway back to us. Until he was baaaack! Which he announced in the sweetest little voice. From bedridden and zombie like to full blown happy little boy in minutes. The joy on his face, the faces of his parents and siblings says one thing to me. MIRACLE!

Through all of those events, my son Paul, my friend Jim, precious Drew, throughout those major miracles are small miracles. A doctor is astounded at what he formerly perceived as impossible. A family remembers the God they'd dismissed. People come out of the woodwork to help, to pray. Kindness is shown where there is usually a void of any gracious behavior. Given all of that how do we doubt for a second that God is still the God of miraculous events?

Just in case you're thinking that all of these are medical and that maybe they could be explained by science, (They can't. Trust me.) Here's one more. Several years ago my husband's work was sporadic at best. Finances were awful. When our mortgage payment was dangerously overdue He called our mortgage people to see what we could do. The woman he spoke to was a little confused. She told him that not only were we not late but that we didn't owe a payment for the next two months. MIRACLE!

The next time someone tells you that miracles don't happen, stop for a minute and think about your own life. I bet if you look closely you'll see at least one. When you do, praise God. He is very much still in the miracle business.