When plans get interrupted, when efforts turn out to be futile, when all logic has been exhausted, be on the lookout… These conditions are conducive for the miraculous to occur.
I made some tentative plans during this week – a full day of shopping (which is my absolute favorite way to unwind), a couple doctor appointments, finally getting that oil change for my sweet little car who has been screaming for some TLC for a minute. And of course, I had some writing days where I get to spend a couple hours sipping coffee and chatting with you.
As great as those things were, they were not the original plan. The original plan was to travel, but that was removed as an option when my travel buddy’s schedule changed. I really wanted a change of scenery, so that was disappointing. And yet, it was precisely the right call.
When plans get interrupted, when efforts turn out to be futile, when all logic has been exhausted, be on the lookout… These are the conditions most conducive for the miraculous.
Why don’t we see these kinds of miracles in our lives now the way we read about them in the book of Acts?
That’s what is on my mind to talk about today – miracles. I’m not thinking about the little daily acts of God that we would be good to recognize. The miracle of new mercies every morning, the miracle of a beating heart and a deep breath – our bodies are themselves a miracle. This is important, and I’m not minimizing it.
But I’m talking full blown, New Testament, Jesus-walking-on-the-water type miracles.
Why don’t we see these kinds of miracles now the way we read about them in the book of Acts?
I’m not sure where you land on the spiritual-gifts-being-active-today spectrum, but I should probably pause here to say that my church and the global family of churches I serve are charismatic. We believe in the wisdom of the Word along with the power of the Holy Spirit. So naturally, I’ve heard much discussion about this in my line of work.
Some may say we don’t need these gifts anymore, that the demonstration of God’s power throughout the book of Acts was solely for the building of the church. Now that it’s built, these kinds of miracles aren’t required.
Side note: are we actually finished building the church? I must have missed that memo…
I’m not really interested in arguing theology – first, because no matter how often I pretend that we’re talking in real life, these are still just words on a page to you. Too much nuance is lost outside of face-to-face conversation. Wisdom and experience tell me that this is not the platform for argument. Second, this blog is not designed to convince anyone of anything. Rather, it’s a place for us to gather and encourage one another as we wait for God to deliver on His word.
He is the same yesterday, today, in the book of Acts, and forever. He doesn’t change.
Ok, now that all that is out of the way, let me connect a couple loose ends. I mentioned that I recently took some time off and that my vacation became the subject of a holy interruption.
I wasn’t burned out or sick, but I was close. And the things I had intentioned in my heart to do to recover weren’t happening. These conditions are typically an indicator that God is trying to say something. So I listened intently for a deep, meaningful word. But I got only one word.
God said, “No.” So I said, “Ok, Lord.”
And I just sat. For a week. A few of my own plans sprinkled into a week of listening for His voice.
God, what do you want to say?
This was the posture of my heart when God began to speak about miracles. It wasn’t a groundbreaking, prophetic moment. Just a simple reminder that He is the same yesterday, today, in the book of Acts, and forever. He doesn’t change.
I thought about the kinds of miracles we read in Scripture, and I came to realize that just about every time we see Him performing any kind of miraculous act, a few things were always present in the stories: there existed a matter of impossibility; the love, compassion, and power of God was displayed; someone came to saving knowledge of Jesus; the Kingdom of God was advanced.
Now pause – take stock of the world around you. We don’t have to look very far to see that the outcomes listed above are still needed.
Do you face impossible tasks?
Do you dream dreams that only He can bring to pass?
Are any among you sick? Hurting? Lost?
If the enemy is blatantly putting evil on display for the world, how much more should we expect the miraculous power of God to shine in the midst of darkness?
If the enemy is blatantly putting evil on display for the world, how much more should we expect the miraculous power of God to shine in the midst of darkness?
During this time off, in a moment of contentment, God reawakened me to the fact that He can still work miracles. But Jesus Himself could only do a few miracles in His hometown. Why? Lack of faith.
Friend, I have a proposal for you, for us. Rather than sitting around, taking stock of all that is wrong and broken and missing from our lives, all the “not yet’s” we notice on a daily basis, let’s stir up our faith. Let’s look at the dry ground before us and ask for a miracle.
I can hear the questions and arguments in your head just as loudly as I hear them in mine. What if I ask for the rain and nothing happens? Ask again. I tried that years ago and nothing changed. Ask again. If it was going to happen, it would have happened by now. Ask again. And again. And again.
You may still be standing on the dry ground asking for rain, but look…you’re standing. You’ve not been overcome. So keep asking until you look up at a clear blue sky and you see it – a cloud the size of a man’s hand.
A miracle in the works.
It’s His reputation on the line, not ours. So ask for the miracle.
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