The God of Miracles
I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? Jeremiah 32:27 (NIV)
When was the last time you started your day longing for and expecting God to show you His power and presence? When have you paused long enough to talk with God and ask Him to show you His power and glory? These are questions I’ve been asking myself. The root of these questions might be, Is God still in the miracle business or are miracles just in the Bible? At the moment, can you think of any area in your life where you need a miracle from God? There are many differing opinions regarding how God answers prayers and whether He still performs miracles. It is often difficult to know the truth about God and miracles.
The only source I know that is reliable on this subject is the Bible. The book of Acts addresses Jesus leaving earth and entering into Heaven. Before He left earth, Jesus told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem until He sent the Holy Spirit. The amazing thing is they knew the Holy Spirit was sent when they experienced an outburst of signs and wonders. The books of the Bible that follow Acts speak of God doing miracle after miracle in the lives of men and women who put their trust in Him. Has God changed? No! Is God the same yesterday, today and tomorrow? Yes! Is He in control of the universe? Yes! Scripture tells us the voice of the Lord is powerful! (Psalm 29:4) Scripture also tells us that God is the Lord, and there is nothing too hard for Him! (Jeremiah 32:27)
Perhaps you have prayed for something and God said, “No.” Did you find that His response caused you to lose your desire to pray? I have had women tell me over and over that they prayed about certain things, and God did not answer their prayers. The truth is God answered their prayers. He answered with a “no.” Because the answer they received was not what they wanted, they believed God did not answer their prayers. When God says, “No,” it’s easy to believe God is withholding something good from us. But, I’ve lived long enough to know that I love my children and grandchildren so much that I just can’t give them everything they ask for. My love will only enable me to give them what I know is best for them; and they need to trust that I know what’s best for them. However, try to explain to a two-year-old that your love will not allow him to play with a butcher knife!
When I cry out to God concerning a longing or have a desperate cry for a situation to change, I need to be reminded of what Jesus said in Matthew 7. Rest does not mean free from all nuisances and hassles; it means freedom from being so easily bothered by them. Rest means to be inwardly quiet, composed, peaceful. To enter God’s rest means to be at peace with God (Romans 5:1) to possess the perfect peace He gives (Isaiah 26:3). . . Rest involves remaining confident, keeping trust. In other words, to rest in something or someone means to maintain our confidence in it or him.
Maybe God’s “no” is really a gift of bread for me and a “yes” would have been a stone or a snake. The truth is only God knows what is really best for us. Maybe the issue is whether we trust God to give us His best.
It is very clear in God’s Word that His love is so great that He was willing to die so that we are able to approach Him with anything that is heavy on our hearts. The Bible also tells us that His love is greater than our knowledge of knowing what is best. I have personally had God say “no” to prayer requests. I’ve had to thank Him for some of those “no” responses because I realized later that a “yes” would have destroyed everything I hold dear.
As a follower of Christ, we should expect God to do beyond what we are capable of doing for ourselves. I often wonder why Christians today don’t seek after God to do miracles in their lives. I believe God is still in the miracle business! I believe it is a miracle that I can make my requests known to a Holy God who loves me enough to say “no” when I’m asking for something He knows would not be good for me. Would you like an example of a miracle? I find myself praying the following: “God, I think this is what I want, but if there is anything else that is better, I’ll take what You have in mind for me!” I’m telling you, hearing that prayer come from my heart is a miracle!
Further Reading 2 Corinthians 12; John 15:5; 1 John 5:5