However, when I look at our world
today I see a place in desperate need of restoration. I see a place that needs to experience the
heart-gripping love of Jesus in a fresh way.
I have often times wondered what would happen if God did a modern day
miracle and alleviated the hunger, poverty, brokenness, and shallowness of our
world. I mean He did it in the Bible so
why not today?
I have talked to several students
who have asked this very question as they search for their identity both as an
individual and in Christ. They question
why if God loves us so much, that he wouldn’t heal our land (the whole
world). This is a challenging topic but
some events of this past week have stirred up some encouragement for me.
First, one of our pastors preached
a sermon on Sunday about our culture’s desire for self-gratification. In the midst of that sermon she quoted a
seminary professor who said, “Miracles don’t lead people to faith. Miracles cause people to say … Do it again
but slower!” As I thought about the
depth of this statement I began to realize that anything that I truly
appreciate in life is something that I have worked for (many times through
countless hours of sweat, tears, and pain).
Maybe the reason that God doesn’t instantly cure all of the problems of
the world, is that He desires for us, His children, to understand the suffering
and seek to invest in the problem to find a solution. Maybe that is the miracle, for God’s children
to work together to remedy the issues of the world.
Second, I was blessed to serve
alongside some amazing students and adults yesterday as we did some yard work
for an elderly member of our church. As we were taking a break, she came out of
her house to tell us that she was leaving for a doctor’s appointment and
thanked us for our time. She told us
that she hasn’t been able to do the yard work because of her chemotherapy
treatments that have been going on for some time. She shared a little about her battle with cancer
but smiled ever so gently and said “I’m going to beat this though. I told the doctor’s when they diagnosed me
that I was going to beat this because of my faith in God!” I thought about her smile and words for the
remainder of the day as she was hoping for a modern-day miracle. She truly has extraordinary faith that can
heal her!
The third instance happened right
after this elderly lady made her comment, which was a student who looked at her
with tears in his eyes. He simply
replied to her, “Yes, you will beat it!”
As I thought about her faith and witness, she not only touched my heart
but also the heart of this young man who supported her. It wasn’t an empty comment to make her feel
better but rather a genuine statement that miracles can still happen today.
Fourth, was a prayer request I
received last night from a pastor who has played an important role in my
life. He is currently battling a sound
bout with cancer, which he is praying for a miracle of healing. He also found out recently that his first
grandchild, scheduled to be delivered in December, has been diagnosed with spina
bifada. Despite his current situations,
he is praying for two miracles.
As I thought about these issues, I
wondered, “Am I guilty of underestimating God and what He can do? Do I truly believe that the miracles we read
about in Scripture can still occur today?”
I challenge you to examine your own life to answer this question, “Do
you underestimate God? Or do you believe
that the miracles of Scripture can still take place today?” My hope and prayer is that you don't underestimate God but rather celebrate the ways He is at work in your life and the lives of those around you through modern-day miracles!
No comments:
Post a Comment