"
Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the
midst of them, and said to them, ‘Peace to you.’ But they were
terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit."
(Luke 24:37)
People will ask, "Where are the miracles?" and I stare at them
quietly, my mind flooding with the reality of what I’ve seen and heard
but am so inept at sharing. No one can believe what I’m saying unless
they can see the truth of it in my mind. And so, few Christians will
admit witnessing miracles, it brings nothing but chaos; suspicion,
demands, jealousy, fear and accusations from believers and unbelievers
alike. People do not come to Christ because of miracles but because of
the calling of the Holy Spirit and the relationship we can have with
Him through His Word. It’s that personal indwelling that resounds in
our hearts in the quiet of His breath flowing through us that grips
our souls, not miracles.
You would think we would be encouraged by miracles, but it’s often
not the case. GOD is INTIMIDATING! "When Simon Peter saw it, he
fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful
man, O Lord!" (Luke 5). Three times John fell at the feet of
Christ and of angels in Revelation. Elijah, after witnessing God
answer his call for fire and rain became so depressed that he wanted
to die. I have heard pastors criticize Elijah for fearing Jezebel
after God showed him such amazing miracles, but I think pastors
misunderstand. It wasn’t Jezebel or slaughtering 400 prophets of Baal
or even of being alone. It’s because when you witness the power of
God, you can barely believe it and what you can accept, INTIMIDATES
THE HECK OUT OF YOU. "And he prayed that he might die, and said,
"It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my
fathers!"
Miracles HUMBLE us! We are like helpless worms on a rainy day,
pulled up out of the soil and exposed to the powers of God that are
beyond our comprehension. I recently witnessed a miracle and it
crippled my prayer life for a week, because even though I love Him,
even though I’m tremendously grateful, to go before His throne after
watching what He can do somehow invades my comfort zone. It’s all so
overwhelming and intimidating.
Miracles happened in the Bible, they happen through the Bible, they
continue to happen just as the Bible promised and they are happening
now. But they are on God’s timetable, not ours. There are Christians
who claim we must take authority and wield the Word like a sword at
our own bidding. Perhaps God has gifted them with gifts that I don’t
possess because miracles don’t embolden me, it saps my strength
because I can barely accept what He has done, and apparently many
Biblical characters had the same reaction.
The miracles I have seen happen often when I least expect them
because they were not of my doing, except a few times like when I
cursed someone and God was in agreement and it happened. I was shaking
for three days after that, I felt like a two year old with a loaded
gun and trembled. I have been SO cautious with my words ever since!
Some try to make deals with God, promising to tell the world if
only He would provide a miracle, etc. I believe such deals are exactly
why God doesn’t move, He clearly doesn’t want a mob of people
seeking Him for what they can get from Him. He wants to indwell us, to
give us that ever flowing fountain of the Holy Spirit from within, not
without.
When Christ fed thousands with a few loaves of bread and fish, the
crowds grew hoping for more fish sandwiches. Are we any different when
we demand miracles for our allegiance? I think Christ knew the motive
was all wrong and that they would leave if He told them they must eat
His flesh and drink His blood. "Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do
you also want to go away?" But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to
whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have
come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the
living God." (John 6)
It seems to be important to God WHY people come to Him. He seems to
want it to be from the heart, not what we can get from Him. We think
our needs are so great in this life and if He doesn’t give us what we
want, we turn our backs on Him. But God sees everything from an
eternal perspective. These short lives of ours are a vapor compared to
eternity! What matters is what our position is in Him when our
temporal lives are over, there is no need in this life that can
compare to our eternal direction led by our relationship with Him. If
we’re just coldly looking for a sugar daddy, well, I don’t think we’ll
get very far.
The last conversation I had about miracles was when someone
challenged me about God and I tried to share one with him. "You just
wish it is true." Really? That was his same response to all the
prophecies in the Bible coming true today. How did I WISH that God
would whisper in my ear what to do to avoid a head on collision with
my sleeping sons in the car? How did I WISH that God would tell us
that He would scatter the Jews among the nations, bring them back
again and then the land would become fruitful as the whole world would
focus on Israel?
We put so much importance on miracles, but often when we see them
with our own eyes, we can’t accept them and look for explanations
other than God. Did you think God didn’t know that you would? And what
would be His response?
"Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty
works had been done, because they did not repent: "Woe to you,
Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were
done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented
long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will be more
tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you."
(Matthew 11)
Did you really think God wanted to set you up by providing miracles
that would be rejected? No, God stands before you and says, "Come to
Me" with open arms. There is evidence all around us and in us. We know
it in our hearts of hearts and it takes EFFORT to reject all that He
is and has given to us. That effort is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit
and if we die in that state then we shut the door on God forever and
at the same time, try to blame Him for it.
God is here. Now. Miracles are here. Now. But those that have seen
and know them are not burdened to shout them from the rooftops. No,
the Gospel is all that is necessary to shout from the rooftops, and
those that will come, do. And God will meet you there. No matter what
you have done, no matter what you have said, God will meet you there.
"Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the
works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of
God, that you believe in Him whom He sent." (John 6)
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting
life." (John 3:16)
There are no sweeter words than these.
