A Life of Miracles***

The Holy One calls to me this morning. I so enjoy the great liberty and freedom the Lord provides as we seek Him and learn more about His mysterious ways.  

Some of the most amazing Truths have been discovered as we play a mind game I call “What-if”.  The Holy Spirit seems to draw me into our game this morning.

“What if……Divine intervention is My desire not just the desperate need of your heart”. 

Miracles are the evidence of Divine intervention and an over ruling of the “natural” circumstances that we are programmed to expect.  Miracles demonstrate a power over what we deem as impossible situations or events.  Somewhere along the line between truth and error, I picked up the thought that true faith doesn’t call out for miracles and that God is reluctant to show His Hand. 

When Jesus walked the earth His life demonstrated a multitude of miracles and He said that “even if you do not believe in my words at least believe on the evidence of the miracles (works) themselves”.  Miraculous works were the evidence that He is God and that when He speaks of His Father in Heaven and the love of our Creator His words are true. 

When I consider the origins of man and the creation of the first pair, I am drawn to the Divine benediction over them and as the first humans, it is the Godly benediction over all of us.  Our lives are to be spent tending and co-laboring in a sense with God in His created world.

But as I look around I see contradictory evidence in that darkness and doom cover the land. So I come to ask Him:  Lord, what is the problem here that evil seems to be on the increase in our lives?  And where is the promised dominion for your people?

His answer comes from out of His word, “My people are dying from lack of knowledge and they do not receive because they do not ask”.   

Back in the garden before humanity increased, man was set to “tend” God’s created world.  One definition of to “tend” is to discover the mysteries contained therein.  That opens up a whole archeological adventure for my mind.  But the word “tend” in a common definition is to take care of, and in that sense, people in God’s created universe require the most tender care. 

By the details of His earthy life, it is clear that Jesus came to care for humanity.  He spent all His time and energy dealing with human need.  He did not look for the animals to make their lives better nor did He cause stone statues to bleed or weep to demonstrate His God-power.  His miracles directly impacted human lives and as He told us from early on; He came to set the captives free.

This is not to say we should abuse or refuse to tend to the animal kingdom for that is also part of our dominion and responsibility but His model of miracles was to relieve human suffering as the evidence of the love of God, a Heavenly Father over His beloved children.

Miracles mark God’s Divine intervention and are needed when we are at risk.  I am captivated by Jesus explanation to His disciples as to why the man was born blind who Jesus was preparing to heal.  They had been accustomed to being legalistic (as some of us are) in the interpretation of infirmities and or birth defects.  They assumed his condition was a result of sin whether his or his parents.  Jesus set a new standard of interpretation before them, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned but that the works (miracle) of God might be revealed in him”.  John 9:3 NKJV

This was a graphic situation that baselined the lessons for their day: that He is God, that the situations in life are to be seen as opportunities for His glorious intervention and very importantly that He is the light of the world and removes our blindness to Truth.

We who know Him are the only ones who can petition for the miracles from Heaven and expect answers.  For no one comes to the father except through Jesus and only in His name will the Father give what is petitioned.   The only prayer of a non-believer that will have an answer is the prayer for salvation and that is instantly accepted and stamped approved. 

This leaves the burden and responsibility and privilege to ask for Divine intervention on the shoulders of the “saved”.  Miracles are a true co-laboring with our God and exercise of our delegated dominion here on earth.  As we live out our lives, we see suffering humanity and yet do we just wring our hands in resignation of the evil that suffering represents?  Or are we willing to give the time and effort in folding our hands in intercession that God should move and be glorified as He does? 

Conviction today is a sword to my heart.  Self-centeredness in spiritual laziness is choking when I realize my prayerlessness constrains God’s love and desire to be seen for who He is to the unsaved world around me.  Miracles are the evidence of Who He is not just the human need fulfilled. 

Just to be clear, a miracle to me is the supernatural fact that as I pray God hears and answers.  Our intimate relationship with the God of all creation is a miracle in and of itself.  The realization that the Holy Spirit indwells us is a miracle.  The control that the Sovereign has over all of life is a miracle and is seen as He orchestrates things in life that lead all of us to Him.

From my counselling session today, I pray I may be more open to all that the Lord desires to do in intervention and not wait to petition until my heart is in human distress.  God desires to give us life and life to the full.  Miracles are all a part of the fullness of life. 

I realize that hard times and impossible circumstances make us acutely aware of our need for His hand of intervention but resolution of those things are not the only miracles He desires to work through my life.

The Spirit is calling.  Can you hear Him?