A Year of Choices…
By Barbara Dahlgren from Barbara’s Banter at www.barbdahlgren.com
Oswald Chambers said, “We look for visions from heaven and for earth shaking events to see God’s power… One of the most amazing revelations of God comes to us when we learn that it is in the everyday things of life that we realize the magnificent deity of Jesus Christ.”
Unfortunately people don’t want to see the miracles in everyday life. They want to experience a faith healing or spectacular event before they will believe in God’s existence. This philosophy can be dangerous because not all supernatural happenings come from God.
- Deuteronomy 13:1-3 says to beware of those who foretell dreams or signs and wonders that come to pass, then encourage you to follow other gods than the one true God. So others besides God can perform certain signs and wonders.
- Mark 13:22-23 tells us to be on guard because some can perform miracles that can deceive us into thinking they represent Christ.
- Matthew 7:22-23 tells us that many will come to God pointing out that they had performed miracles but God will say, “I never knew you. Get away you evildoers!”
- 2 Thessalonians 2:8-9 reminds us that Satan has the power to perform counterfeit miracles, signs, and wonders.
- Exodus 7:11 recounts how Moses and Aaron performed miracles such as having a staff turn into a snake, but Pharaoh summoned his sorcerers and they did the same thing.
Sometimes God provides supernatural happenings and sometimes He doesn’t. In Christ’s hometown of Galilee Christ didn’t do many miracles because of their lack of faith. (Matthew 13:58) Was this because Christ’s miracles are dependent on our faith? Not at all! But what would have been the point? They wouldn’t have believed anyway, because contrary to popular opinion, miracles do not increase belief. The Israelites proved that. God performed miracle after miracle for them, including parting the Red Sea and they still didn’t believe He could take care of them in the Promised Land.
The need for Christ to authenticate His message through miracles has long passed. His message speaks for itself. Sadly some professing Christians are still seeking signs and wonders long after their conversion. This is not so much that they doubt Christ’s existence as they are looking for a “high” that comes from the miracle. But when we are always looking for the next “big thrill” in our lives to feel God’s presence we forget that He has been with us all along. We miss the daily walk. We miss what is right in front of our eyes.
Consider this… In biblical times many missed the miracle of Christ’s birth because they were looking for another kind of miracle – a Messiah descending from heaven with a flaming sword of righteousness to deliver them from oppressive Roman rule. They did not recognize the Christ child in the manger as their Savior. They missed what was right before their eyes.
Do we see God in our everyday lives? Do we see God when the 6 o’clock alarm rings, when we take a shower, brush our teeth, carpool the kids, drive to work in the same old car to the same old job and come home to the same old family, then cook something to eat, do the dishes, help with homework, and fall into bed dog tired? Can we cheerfully get up and do it all again the next day and stay totally centered on God? That’s a miracle.
Healthy Christians are able to go through life without God having to supernaturally zap them with an addictive spiritual methamphetamine to get them through the day. As we grow in God’s grace we realize the miracle of God revealing Himself to us all the time. It might be in the laughter of a child, the smile of a coworker, clouds in the sky, sunlight on a window pain, or a flower garden.
Do we realize that life itself is a miracle? The whole universe is one miracle after another – not chance happenings but actual miracles! If we are truly looking for a miracle, we need look no further than where we are. For where we are, God will be. He’ll never leave us or never forsake us no matter what. If we don’t see that as a miracle, there is no need to look anywhere else, because we’ll never find it.
Suggestions for practicing this choice…
Ask God to help you see the miracles around you in everyday life. Here are five quotes to help…
- “The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miracle in the common.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is.” ~Albert Einstein
- “I’m realistic – I expect miracles.” ~Wayne Dyer
- “Each of my days are miracles. I won’t waste my day. I won’t throw away my miracle.” ~Kelley Vicstrom
- “Where there is great love, there are always miracles.” ~Willa Cather
