The Trouble with Miracles–Part 2

Number 37 in the series “God Rocks: 101 Amazing Everyday Gifts!” Stories and promises of Jesus that show us the awesome blessings we can experience each day. I hope it encourages you!

This post builds on the previous one so if you haven’t read it I encourage you to do that now.

I’ve seen miracles. Yep, full up unexplainable miracles.

I’ve prayed for people with incurable diseases and on a few occasions seen them healed.

Now that’s really cool and I could probably become famous except that I’ve also prayed for others and they eventually died.

Photo Credit: Angela Marie Henriette

That for me is the irritating thing about miracles.

They simply don’t always occur.

So some pastors teach that miracles aren’t valid today. They ended with the apostles so we really can’t expect them.

Others say if you don’t see them you simply don’t have enough faith. Whip up more faith. See the miracle.

But both of these responses leave people feeling helpless and hopeless. I mean either miracles can’t happen or I’m not super-spiritual enough to see them.  Either way ends in defeat and frustration.

So already having declared myself simply a fellow journeyer in this I’ll make a few observations about the miracle story we looked at in the previous post.

First, Jairus believed Jesus would work the miracle. Bottom line if we don’t think God will work a miracle we won’t see it.

Second, Jairus risked all in asking. He asked publicly. He risked humiliation and because of his clergy position he risked even his career.

Pretty much every miracle Jesus performed was public and the downside risk of asking was humiliation or worse.

Third, Jairus asks while afraid. No towering saint of faith but rather a quivering ball of fear. And Jesus responds, “Don’t be afraid. Just believe.”

Fourth, he and Jesus were ridiculed and laughed at for believing this would happen. Realize that’s a pretty common response even from some of the people closest to you.

Fifth, Jairus faced an impossible situation. There was no plan B. Either a miracle occurred or his daughter died.

Sixth, when Jesus worked the miracle Jairus and others used it to glorified God. They spread the good news of God’s love and power through retelling the story over and over. And being a leader of the religious establishment that opposed Jesus it probably cost Jairus his career.

But Jesus worked the miracle!

And surprisingly that’s all we know about Jairus and his family.

I’m not trying to turn this into a formula. I’ve never found that works. But I will tell you every miracle I’ve seen contained most of these elements.

Miracles today are real but always challenging.

What elements of miracles have you seen?

Please share your thoughts on Facebook, Twitter or email me. Thanks.