My God Alphabet—M: Miracle Maker
"I cannot deny what I haveseen with my own eyes."
Many people who saw Jesus inaction voiced similar words when confronted by religious and secular governingofficials. These people saw Jesus bring sight to those who were blind, healingto those who were desperately ill or incapacitated, and even life to those whohad died. They saw him feed thousands of people with a few small fish andloaves of bread, turn water into wine, and even calm a ferocious storm at sea.One Bible writer stated there were SO many miracles Jesus performed that theworld couldn't hold all the books that would need to be written if each one wasrecounted (see John 21:25).
When threatened with beatings and even death by authorities unless they recanted their words, these people chose to endure imprisonment, torture, and even martyrdom over denying Jesus and his power.
In all these astonishing works,Jesus was being who He was and is—God in the flesh. He is the One who created,overrules, and sustains all things seen and unseen, is infinitely capable ofdoing what we humans call "miracles." The Bible states that God theFather, with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, is the same yesterday, today,and forever. The same God who did the miracles of the past is still doing themtoday, and will continue to do them in the future! He is the One and OnlyMiracle Maker.
I cannot deny what I have seen with my own eyes. I have witnessed God at work in miraculous ways. I have prayed at the bedside of a comatose woman in hospice— with the family preparing to grieve her passing— only to see her days later very much alive, to the astonishment of her attending physicians. I have stood with other Christ-followers as we prayed over a dear friend whose advanced cancer left him with a grim prognosis. I recently saw him—eight years later—praising God, whose healing touch still has him cancer-free. I have seen God answer our prayers when our ministry's financial resources were nearly depleted, to receive a phone call 10 minutes later from someone (out of the blue) offering a large donation. I have seen people delivered from illnesses and dire circumstances. Sometimes God's instruments of His power were people who came at just the right time. Other times God demonstrated His overwhelming love and power in ways beyond human comprehension.
It's interesting to note thatthere were two reactions to Jesus' mighty works when He walked the earth. Onone hand there were people who believed and were forever changed by what theywitnessed. On the other hand there were other people whose cynical, skeptical,or rationalizing personal filters led them to harden their hearts as theywalked away from Jesus and his miraculous works.
It's the same today! ProcessingGod's extraordinary works requires humility that acknowledges that there arelimitations to our understanding. We must recognize that some things remainunexplainable, even to the best human minds. The Bible states that God’s wisdomis far above human understanding.
There's also a danger that wewill want the miracles of God more than we actually want God. Some people havetried to put God under their thumb by demanding He does something they want,with no real interest in following Him. God doesn't operate that way—He bows tono one's demands. That being stated, God is abundantly gracious and powerful torespond to anyone who earnestly cries out to Him. God loves to reveal Himselfto all who seek and need Him.
The greatest miracles I haveseen are people whose lives have been transformed by Jesus Christ! God can take our messed-up, broken lives andgive us a new heart, a new hope, and a bright future.
I am one of those people, so Ican attest firsthand that He can do this for you.
I don't know what miracle youneed today. However, I do know the Miracle Maker, Jesus Christ, who is morethan capable and willing to touch your life and circumstances with Hispowerful, healing hand.
God bless you as you earnestlyseek God, the Miracle Maker.
Chris Atkins