February 7

The Miracle Worker

Bible Reading: Matthew 11:1-6; John 20:30-31; Acts 2:22-24

My friend had experienced a heart attack.  His wife found him unconscious and began CPR, but he had been some time without oxygen.  He was life flighted to Portland.  He ultimately ended up at Doernbecher Children’s hospital, where they had an ECMO machine which could keep him alive.  The family was well-known and much loved and folks from around the Northwest were praying.  For some days they monitored his vital signs, hoping for some improvement.  Finally, the doctors decided there was nothing more they could do–they planned to remove him from the machine the next day.  I was with his wife when their four children came into his hospital room one-by-one to say goodbye to their unconscious father.  But God had other plans.  Miraculously, his vital signs began to show improvement that night and he survived.  He’s alive to this day!

Do you believe in miracles?  Can God do such things?  When Jesus walked the earth He did lots of miracles.  From prison John the Baptist sent his disciples to Jesus asking, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (Matthew 11:3).  Jesus answered, “Go and tell John what you hear and see:  the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.  And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” (Matthew 11:4-6). The things prophesied in the Old Testament about the coming Messiah were all fulfilled through the ministry of Jesus.

These miracles of Jesus were of immediate benefit to those on the receiving end, but their purpose lay far deeper. The glory of Jesus was revealed through the miracles He performed. As a result, some were led to believe in Jesus. John’s gospel includes a purpose statement which speaks to this specific intent: “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in the book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:30-31). Jesus’ miracles attested to His true identity and worked to elicit faith in Him.

What began in his earthly ministry, Jesus continues to this day. There are times He chooses to intervene in a situation in a miraculous way. But sometimes, as in the case of my wife’s cancer there’s been no instantaneous healing. Yet His provision of grace is a miracle too. He is worthy of our trust in all things (Cf. 2 Corinthians 12:7-9). We tend to forget, or under appreciate, the miracle which is our salvation. I once wrote of this, “The life and ministry of the believer in Christ lies in the realm of the miraculous. It is impossible for us to accomplish what God calls us to do, in the power of the flesh. It is a foolhardy enterprise to suppose we can do anything of spiritual value through human wisdom, or self-effort. It is by the Spirit, people are miraculously born again and become new creatures in Christ. By the indwelling Spirit these new creatures in Christ are miraculously transformed into Christlikeness. By the working of His miraculous power their lowly bodies will one day be conformed to his glorious body. These are miracles. And Jesus is doing such things every day. By His grace. By the Spirit. To His honor and glory!”

Lord Jesus, we stand amazed when we read of the miracles You did when You walked this earth, revealing Your glory and true identity.  How thankful we are for the truth that nothing is impossible for You!  Forgive us.  We sometimes doubt, or take Your miracle-working abilities for granted.  Indeed, it was a miracle of Your grace when You caused us to be born again, making us new creatures in Christ.  Help us to trust You to do those amazing things which we could never do on our own!

My Father is Omnipotent and that you can’t deny

A God of might and miracles is written in the sky

It took a miracle to put the stars in place

It took a miracle to hang the world in space

But when He saved my soul

Cleansed and made me whole

It took a miracle of Love And Grace

Text and Music: John W. Peterson; c1948 John W. Peterson Music Company

Here’s a link to a great video testimony by Joni Eareckson Tada, related to this, which you might find helpful: A Deeper Healing