Tag Archives: Miracles

Seasons

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He changes times and seasons…  Daniel 2:17-30  At times it seems that the end is certain; that only a bag of tricks or better yet a miracle of sorts could change what seems an impossible situation. Yet seasons do change. Every inhale that gives way to an exhale is part of a series of moments in our living, which leads to what God graciously reveals before us. Darkness always gives way to light and the Winter always gives way to the Spring of our season which God has in store for us. It arrives right on time and in its perfect glory. Thank you God for I know that the seed of faith you have planted within me grows in all seasons.

Make Room For Faith

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How then does he now see? John 9:18-41  Judgment by definition is the ability to make considered decisions or come to sensible conclusions. We are always coming to some conclusion about what we’ve seen, heard, or experienced even if they aren’t all sensible. This is usually a good place to make room for faith. Even today Jesus’ homemade remedy for healing a blind man from birth is nothing short of a miracle, but miracles come from God. Thus the blind man concluded and believed Jesus to be a prophet from God. The Pharisees didn’t experience Jesus in that way.I often ask myself, what were the Pharisees more upset about? Were they upset because Jesus could do something that they could not do, that a man who was blind could now see or fear of losing God’s favor? We all have some tendency to discredit or judge things we don’t understand. It’s a defense mechanism. If you were the one who received a miracle what conclusion would you come to? If you have yet to receive a miracle, are you willing to believe that it could happen to you? Or – would you prefer to defend that it just couldn’t happen for someone else?

Casting A Hook

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…cast a hook; take the first fish that comes up;…open its mouth, you will find a coin… Matthew 17-22-27  The first time I went fishing out on a boat was in Virginia while visiting a friend. I was twelve. We caught a few fish that day but not one had a coin in its mouth. Nevertheless, I’ve loved fishing and Virginia ever since. Some how even at twelve I found peace in both the place and the activity. By profession Peter was a fisherman. Following Jesus around would certainly have taken some time away from doing the one thing that allows him to provide for his family. The issue of the temple tax had to cause some anxiety. What other way to put his mind at ease than to instruct Peter to go do the one thing that he knows; casting a hook? Finding a coin in the mouth of a fish is perhaps the oddest of “miracles” but not so far fetched. Fish are attracted to shiny silver things. Why couldn’t a small coin falling in the water from a boat be one of them? This event helps me to understand that our discipleship is not about experiencing miracles. It’s more about God allowing us to be at peace with who we are as we follow him, blessing us as we use every part of our gifts to the Glory of His Name.

Five Loaves Two Fish

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Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves… and all ate and were filled. Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men – Mark 6:30-46.  Clearly feeding five thousand people with five loaves and two fish is a miracle of miracles. At my son’s pre-school no child ever went without lunch, even when someone forgot and there were many days when one or more children forgot their lunch. The teacher would orchestrate a table of sharing. Every child would put their sandwich for the day in the middle of the table and they would all sit around the table and eat one half sandwich at a time. Whatever snacks they had in their lunch they were allowed to keep or add to the buffet. There was always a few half sandwiches and some snacks left over. Perhaps not a miracle of miracles, but one of my most favored explanations of a Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Who Provides) for our needs today as well as a demonstration of faith and compassion. Christ is always at work through God’s people.