IT'S A MIRACLE...OR IS IT?

 

Miracle: An extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

Do you believe in miracles?  A few weeks ago I taught a Sunday School lesson concerning some of the miracles performed by Jesus.  While researching for the lesson, I came across what I thought were some interesting facts about people’s belief…or disbelief…in miracles.  A national scientific survey conducted by Barna Research showed these results:

*When asked if miracles were possible today, 67% said yes, 15% said no, others had no opinion.

*Young adults (61%) were less likely to believe in miracles than Baby Boomers (73%)…this did NOT surprise me.

*Republicans (74%) were more likely to believe in modern day miracles than Democrats (61%)…that’s interesting.

*38% of those surveyed say they have had an experience that can only be described as a miracle.   (It was pointed out, however, that some of these “miracles” probably were actually coincidences rather than true supernatural miracles.)

 

These results were a little bit surprising…

*the percentage who believed in modern day miracles DECREASED with education (guess that explains a lot of today’s liberal professors)

*same was true for income level with the more wealth, the more skepticism

*In terms of ethnicity, more than half of Hispanics and African Americans affirmed modern day miracles compared to a third of whites.

 

So…is this saying if you are white, Democrat, highly educated and wealthy you probably aren’t believing in miracles?  Just asking!

I did read this and I do agree…perhaps we have used the words MIRACLE or MIRACULOUS to the point they don’t have the meaning they should have to us Christians.  Perhaps we should be more careful attributing things as being miraculous…it drains away the power and the idea of what a miracle really is.  For example…when the U.S. hockey team beat the Russian team in the 1980 Olympics.  Everyone called it MIRACLE ON ICE, but that wasn’t a miracle.  It was the result of a lot of hard work, playing hard, a good game plan, and probably some luck!

 

Albert Einstein once wrote, “ There are only two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as though everything is a miracle.    Now I certainly don’t think I’m smarter than Einstein (far, far, far from it!), but I disagree with his statement.  I do believe in modern-day miracles, but I don’t believe everything is a miracle.  I’ll try to explain.

 

Sometimes I’ll be thinking something and next thing I know my husband is saying what I’m thinking!  That’s not a miracle…that’s a coincidence.  The other day I was thinking about how I had not seen my granddaughter in several days and all of a sudden she was walking in the backdoor.  That was not a miracle, that was a coincidence.  Sorry, Mr. Einstein.  Like my research said, I think we may sometimes overuse the word MIRACLE to the extent when a real miracle comes along we don’t think much about it…and that’s a shame. 

Lee Strobel has written a book THE CASE FOR MIRACLES.  (I love Strobel’s life story…an atheist turned believer.)  For his book he interviewed many people who felt they had had a miracle performed by God/Jesus in their lives.  One of my favorites is this one:

 

Google Image

A doctor/missionary was working in Africa.  She delivered a premature baby but the mother died in childbirth.  There was no incubator, no electricity, and no way to keep the baby warm enough, but a nurse found a hot water bottle and filled it.  Unfortunately, shortly after the water bottle burst.  The doctor’s daughter was nearby playing with some orphans, and so the doctor asked them to pray for the baby.  As it came time for her daughter Ruth to pray, the little girl said, “Please, God, send us a water bottle and please send it today because the baby won’t live till tomorrow without it.”  And then she added, “And while you’re at it, God, please send the baby a dolly to show her you really love her.”  The doctor was a little surprised by her daughter’s prayer but didn’t say anything. 

 

That very afternoon a care package arrived from a group that often sent them gifts and supplies.  As the doctor and the children unpacked the box, they found food, bandages, and other supplies…and to the doctor’s great surprise one HOT WATER BOTTLE!  And when Ruth saw it, she said, “Well, if God sent the hot water bottle, I know he sent a dolly, too.”  And sure enough, at the bottom of the box was a doll!  (True story, y’all!)

Now that, ladies & gentlemen, was no coincidence…that was a MIRACLE😊

 

I wrote about another miracle Strobel wrote about in his book.  You can read that post here (see end of that post).

 

Do you believe in modern-day miracles?

Do you agree with Einstein?  I’d love to hear your thoughts.

I CAN’T WAIT…REALLY! I CAN’T WAIT

 

I suppose that’s not actually true.  Sometimes I have no alternative but to WAIT!  But what I can’t do is wait…PATIENTLY!!!  Yes, I am terrible at waiting, at least for a lot of things.  Of course, I can wait as long as you want me to to have a shot or to pay my taxes or to go on that much needed diet.  But you know what I mean! 

 

I was the child who got ants in her pants when Oct. 1 hit.  Couldn’t stand waiting for Halloween and Trick-or-Treating.  Then, soon as that was over I realized I had 2 WHOLE MONTHS to have to wait for Christmas!  I suppose most kids are like that, but (unfortunately) some of us still carry that difficulty of waiting into our adult years.  

But whether you wait well or (like me) you wait impatiently, waiting is just a part of life.  In fact, it seems we are forever waiting on something:

*When we are kids, we can’t wait till we’re teenagers

*When we get to be a teenager, we can’t wait till we are 16 so we can drive

*Then we can’t wait till we graduate and go off to college where we think we’ll be free to do whatever we want without our parents around

*then we wait on that first job, marriage, a house, and kids

Those are all GOOD things to wait on.  But sometimes there are NOT SO GOOD things we have to wait on like:

*the results of medical tests

*if our loved one will be healed

*if our kids will turn out OK even after taking a few slight detours

*the promotion we’ve worked so hard for but others are wanting too

*if we can pay all the bills at the end of the month     etc., etc., etc.

 

IT’S JUST NOT ALWAYS EASY TO WAIT.

We want what we want when we want it.  Our culture has taught us to hate waiting.  After all, we have fast-food restaurants, 2 day delivery with Amazon Prime, texts and emails vs hand-written letters; and then there is instant coffee, instant grits, instant oatmeal.  All those things might make our lives somewhat easier and less hectic but there are just times we can’t get instant gratification.

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I recently read an article that really resonated with me…so much so I printed it out.  I am going to reference this article in my post but if you want to read the original it can be found HERE.  The author is Kay Harms and I hope she won’t mind me using some of her thoughts.  She has a lovely blog DRESSED FOR MY DAY.

 

NOTE:  I write about everything and anything…from my grandkids to decorating for the holidays to bargain shopping and anything else that tickles my fancy.  Some of my posts (like the last one) will also be centered around my Christian faith…and I make no apologies for that😊

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AM I THE ONLY ONE?

 

First of all, the Bible is filled with stories of people who had to wait…and wait…and wait…and wait….

*Abraham and Sarah had to wait for many years to have the son God promised them

*Noah waited for around 75 years for the rains to come (it took a l-o-n-g time to build that ARK!)

*Hannah had to wait until she was 70 yrs. old (and after much praying) to have her son Samuel

*Joseph waited 13 years after being sold by his brothers to be rescued by God

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT WAITING?

 

The Bible has at least 100 verses that deal with waiting and how we should wait:

 

*Psalm 37:7     Be still in the presence of the Lord and wait patiently for Him to act.

*Psalm 130:5     I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope.

*Psalm 27:14     Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.

SO HOW DO WE CULTIVATE THE ART OF WAITING WELL?

 

1.Take our hands off and truly trust God to work.  

In my last post I commented that when we truly trust God we take ourselves out of the center of whatever dilemma or crisis we are going through.  It’s the same with waiting.  We wait well when we completely LET GO and relinquish the work to God.  THAT CAN BE SO VERY DIFFICULT FOR SOME OF US…but it’s not impossible.

Harms wrote:  “To completely take my hands off of something that I am waiting for God to do, I change my prayers.  I stop asking God to do something or worse yet, telling Him what to do, and I start thanking Him for working.  I pray something like, “Thank you, Lord, for working this out for me.  I trust that you are doing what is best in your perfect timing.”              

 

That really resonated with me.  God is NOT like a microwave oven.  He doesn’t just zap something into being because I want it.  Sometimes I have to wait for the answer I want; sometimes that answer I want never comes; but I’m learning to “trust” that no matter what…God is in control and He is working for me in ways I may never realize.  And that’s where FAITH comes in…and patience.

 2. Do what only we can do while letting God do what He can do.

While we are waiting, there are things we can do…if we want that job promotion, we can work a little harder to show our boss we are worthy of it; if we want our bodies to be healed we can follow dr.’s orders, take our medicines, get rest, etc.; if we are on the outs with a family member or friend, we can go to them and try to work it out (maybe even ask for needed forgiveness).  But at some point, we have to LET GO AND LET GOD.  We pray, we trust, and we thank God for working in the situation…even while we are waiting.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

    3.Keep a positive attitude.

    That’s not an easy one either.  It’s hard to keep a positive attitude when you’re in that deep, dark valley waiting to be able to move up to the mountaintop again.  “The enemy of our soul wants to use our times of waiting to plant seeds of doubt and distrust in God.  But we are wise to resist the enemy and steadily plant the truth of God’s word in our hearts.”  We must learn to WAIT WITH GOD, knowing that He is working on our behalf.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.    Romans 8:28

 4. Remind ourselves of God’s past faithfulness and His past answer to prayer.

I wish that through the years I had kept a journal of all my prayer requests along with the answers I received.  I feel sure there would be some blank spaces in the “received” column…some may remain blank forever; some may be yet to come.  But I am very sure that there would be more in the “answered” column that I can even imagine.  While we wait, we should reflect on all of God’s goodness and all the times He has been faithful to us, whether our season of waiting is a short one or a long one.

 

“God is always doing something even when I can’t tell what it is.  I’ve learned to be watchful for the hidden activity of God.”

              ---The Praying Woman

I imagine I will still be impatient in my seasons of waiting; it’s a part of my DNA I’m sorry to admit.  But I will be working on this and while I’m working I know GOD WILL BE WAITING ON ME with a smile on His face, pushing me along as I slowly but steadily cultivate the art of waiting well WITH HIM BY MY SIDE.

Prayer (copied)

Lord, I know you’re a good God, but the truth is that I’m tired of waiting.  I know YOU have the perfect answer.  I trust YOU have the perfect solution.  But waiting for the moment YOU decreed is tough.  Please be with me as I wait.  Le me see YOU as I never have before.  Help me to trust YOU and see YOU in new ways.  Prepare my heart, Lord, as I wait.  Help me cling to YOU as I wait.  Please Lord, let your peace rule in my heart.  Help me live by your grace each day of this waiting.  And help me bring YOU glory as I wait expectantly.

Amen

 

In the Midst of Trials

 

Many people at this moment are going through personal trials, and our country is definitely going through trials that are affecting us all in one way or another.  I never dreamed I would see all the anger, lying, and hate that seems to permeate the very air we breathe.  This past Sunday I taught a Sunday School lesson that touched me (and hopefully those in my class), and I thought I would share a condensed version here in my little piece of Blogland in case it might offer some comfort to someone who needs it.

 

(Note:  I used various sources & commentaries but the writing is my own.)

 

I think if we are honest, most (if not all) of us can look back on our lives and remember at least one trial, one very difficult time, when maybe our “trust” in God wasn’t at the level it had been or we wanted it to be.  I don’t mean we didn’t have faith that God was real, but perhaps we didn’t “trust” that He was there in the trial with us or that we didn’t “trust” Him to take care of us and bring us out of the trial in the way we wanted.  Even when we love someone deeply and we usually trust them explicitly, there still maybe times of doubt. 

 

A few years ago my son sang a song in church…UP ON THE MOUNTAIN.  

The lyrics told how everything is beautiful and peaceful “up on the mountain” but most of us will at some point see ourselves tumbling down into the valley…and that’s when our faith may be put to the test.

 So what can we do?  What do we do to keep our faith strong so that when we find ourselves tumbling from the top of the mountain to the valley we find our faith and our trust still intact?  Well, there really are some things we can do to prepare for those valleys.  Unfortunately, many Christians (and non-Christians) wait until we find ourselves in those deep, dark places and then we cry out WHY ME, GOD?  WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME?  We prepare for cold weather by stocking up on firewood; we prepare for hurricanes by stocking up on supplies; we prepare for future medical crises by buying insurance; but how do we prepare for the trials that threaten our faith and trust in God?

  

1.   Know the scriptures

Read the Bible, but don’t just read it.  Study it; ponder over it; memorize verses and carry them in your heart.  I wish I could say I was wonderful at memorizing more verses.  I was one of those students who could memorize all the facts before the test, but once the test was over…poof!  Many left my head!!!  But even if we can only memorize a few verses, verses that can really speak to our hearts in times of trouble, they can be so helpful.  Another good thing to have is one of those lists that many of you have seen before…read this when you are fearful, read this when you are stressed, etc.  (HERE is a good reference.)

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me.  Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.  But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”   John 16:33

“I am leaving you with this gift—peace of mind and heart.  And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.  So don’t be troubled or afraid.”  John 14:27

 

2.   Pray

(No surprise!)  But!!!  We need to do more than just pray, more than just asking for God to take away our trial or even to walk through the trial with us.  We need to also LISTEN…we need to MEDITATE.  Now sometimes in today’s world when we hear the words “meditate” or “meditation” we get this negative idea of some guru lighting up incense, conjuring up and communicating with “spirits” that have nothing to do with God.  When we pray and meditate it means “devout spiritual contemplation.”  It means we aren’t just running through a laundry list of what we want God to do; we are sitting with Him, talking to Him, and opening our minds and our hearts to what He might have to say to us.  Have you ever had a conversation with someone where it all seemed to be one-sided?  The person you are with talks only about themselves, their ideas, their needs, their opinions, etc.?  I have and definitely didn’t enjoy it.  God listens to our prayers, our supplications, but I think He probably prefers to have a part in the conversation too.  We miss the most meaningful part of prayer if we don’t “meditate” also.

…when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.     Jeremiah 29:12

Never stop praying.  1 Thessalonians 5:17

 

3.    Know who God Is

I have been in Sunday School and church since I was an infant, just as many of you have been.  Through the years we have gained a lot of knowledge about God, about Jesus.  But do we use that knowledge?  I have been married for 50 years and have known my husband even longer.  I know a lot about my husband!  And the longer I have known him, the more intimate and loving our relationship has become.  I use my knowledge of his favorite foods, his likes & dislikes, his personal feelings about things, etc. to deepen our relationship.  I put him ahead of myself (well, at least in most things😊)    And it should be the same way with my relationship with God.  I need to know God through His word and I need to use that knowledge to deepen my relationship with Him.  Just as a marriage takes time and effort to build a relationship, it takes time and effort to build and daily strengthen our relationship with God, to come to truly know Him.

“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope; the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.”  Lamentations 3:21-23

  

4.    Take Ourselves Out of the Center of the Trial 

All too often when we are overwhelmed, burdened, battered by life’s circumstances, we are all too eager to put ourselves in the middle of the storm, crying out WHY ME?  We have our own pity parties or we feel we are alone and God has hung us out to dry.  Or…we jump in feet first immediately thinking WHAT CAN I DO TO FIX THIS?  Self-sufficiency is a good trait to have, but sometimes we take it too far and we leave God out of the equation. 

Often we spend much too much time on figuring things out on our own and we spend our energy trying to find ways to tackle the difficult situations we face.  We end up leaning on everything and everyone but God.  However, the scripture tells us: 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”          Proverbs 3:5-6

 

“We must consistently, constantly pray that God would enable us to trust Him.  That God would help us believe His promises and trust Him even when life doesn’t make sense.  The simple reality is that most of the time we have only a very small grasp of what God is truly doing in our life.  And yet, because we know that he’s good and faithful and steadfast and ready to give us His grace, we can trust Him with our whole heart.”

 

 I think all of us are going through a very difficult time…the virus, the unrest in our country, the pending election whose outcome could completely change the course of our country…on top of any personal trials some of us may be dealing with.  Some days I feel the deep, dark valley crowding in around me.  But we’ve got to believe that even if things don’t turn out the way we want them to, God is still in control.  We need to put our faith and our “trust” in Him that in the end God will make it all right.  (That’s a lesson I’m still teaching myself.)

 

Life is easy when you’re up on the mountain, and you’ve got peace of mind like you’ve never known.  But then things change when you’re down in the valley, don’t lose faith for you’re never alone.  For the God on the mountain is still God in the valley; when things go wrong He’ll make them right.  And the God in the good times is still God in the bad times; the God of the day is still God in the night.

SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO CRY

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

a time to be born, and a time to die;

a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

a time to kill, and a time to heal;

a time to break down, and a time to build up;

a time to weep, and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance;    (from Ecclesiastes 3)

For me, today has been a time to weep…well, actually I’ve been weeping a lot this week.  Two lives that were precious to me have been lost in the last few days.  One was a high school friend (I won’t name) who through the years had a lot of troubles and sadness in his life; the other was the sweetest 91 year old lady named Ruth but everyone lovingly called her Ruthie Baby…she loved that!  Ruth and my 47 year old son had this wonderful friendship that began quite a few years back.  He would often drop by to visit her.  They would sit on her front porch…her with her glass of wine and he with a beer…and just enjoy the heck out of each other.  Ruthie just the other day told her son that she had had a dream that she was in heaven and my son was singing to her.  My son teared up when he told me that….a time for him to weep too.

Life can be so good, but life can also bring heartaches.  I know it’s often been said we need the “bad” to help us more appreciate the “good”, but I’m selfish…I don’t want the bad to hurt so badly!  These days my feelings seem to be so raw…this isolation, social distancing, not knowing who or what to believe…some days it just becomes almost too difficult to bare.  But I know God is walking through all of this with us and so I remind myself:

“there is a time to heal”

“there is a time to laugh”

“there is a time to dance”

“a time to embrace”  (can’t wait for those hugs!)

“a time to mend”

“a time for peace”.

I just pray it all comes soon. 

PS:  If you pray, please send up a prayer for my friend’s 17 year old grandson who was seriously injured in an automobile accident.  If you don’t pray, please just send out some well wishes and good thoughts for him.  His name is Dillon.

IN THE FACE OF THE STORM

If you are like me (and most of America), you have concerns about what is going on all around us.  Not only are we faced with an unknown virus for which there is no vaccine or medicines to cure it; but we are also faced with empty shelves at our local grocery and big box stores, feeling the need & urgency to hunker down and quarantine ourselves and our families, and a lot of fear for what will happen next. 

         

This morning before church I was watching the news on TV (I really need to stop doing that), and they were showing how people were actually fighting and beating each other over toilet paper and bottled water!  One shopper even grabbed a wine bottle, broke it, and then used it to stab another shopper!  Much of the world’s sanity and decency have seemed to go by the wayside.  As I watched what had transpired on the TV, I began to cry and to feel the need to pray; so I sat down at my computer and prayed and typed.  I sometimes write down my prayers because it helps to keep me focused and my mind doesn’t go off on tangents!  I shared this prayer with my Sunday School class, and I thought I would share it with you also.  I know God has got this virus and HE’S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HANDS, but I have to admit I have moments of fear and anxiety.  I need HIM, I need HIS love and grace, I need HIS calm in the face of the storm.

OUR DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER,

First of all I come to you this morning thanking you for all the many blessings you bestow on us each day, especially your LOVE & GRACE.  But, dear Lord, I also come to you this a.m. with a heavy heart.  Our country, our world is going through a crisis like none most of us have ever seen or even imagined.  We are frightened, we are at times discouraged, we are struggling to stay calm in a chaotic time.  Although we know that you are always in control, some of us struggle with keeping our faith strong, some of us are living in such fear that we may not be making the best decisions….and we need YOU, Lord, to help calm our fears and to guide us through the days & weeks ahead.

I ask God that you will keep us safe, that you will help each of us to do our parts in ending this crisis.  I ask you that we put all selfishness and greed aside and that we remember those around us who may need our help.  Lead us and guide us to do your will through all of this.  Help us to set good examples for our children and grandchildren as we know that how we behave in a crisis may set a precedent for them.  Watch over our older citizens and those with chronic diseases; help us to not take up valuable time and resources that they may need.  Help us to be mindful of all those we live among.

I ask, God, that you bless our country financially.  Knowing that our economy has been and will continue to be hurt by this at least for awhile, we ask that you help us to be good stewards of our monies and our supplies, yet also generous.

I ask that you watch over our doctors, nurses, and health workers; that you will keep them safe and healthy and that you will richly bless them for their sacrifices.  I ask that you bless those who are searching for a vaccine and that you will sustain them with your strength as they work with urgency and without rest.

I ask that you bless our president and all world leaders as they try to figure out what is best for our world.  I ask that you would help all our government officials to put aside their desire to best the other party or their opponents.  Help them to come together to lead our country and to set an example for all of us.

And finally, dear Lord, I ask you to put on each and every heart the desire to help each other, to share with each other, to put aside all thoughts of “self above all else”….help us to look to you for peace, comfort, and grace.  Bless not only our country, but all countries…help us to keep our eyes on YOU, the giver and sustainer of life and all that we have.  Take away our fears and fill our hearts with faith, hope, & love.    AMEN.

May you and your families stay well; may your faith remain strong; may God Bless America and the world.                                                                           

Love,                                                                                                 Cheri