FLARE AND BEWARE

Is the flash and glitz of what is assumed to be miracles always a sing of God’s presence or his blessing? Not having performed any miracles myself (other than if you count getting out of bed) I can’t say I could attest from personal experience.

The debate over the issue of miracles still rages in some spiritual circles. There is one school of thought that insists miracles were part of the old testament and the age of the apostles, but once the bible was available they were no longer necessary to demonstrate God’s revelation to man.

Then there is another point of view that insists miracles had not time frame or limit. That they are every bit as relevant to this age as they were in the past.

For myself, I do believe that God is every bit as powerful as he has always been. I don’t think he has any problems working miracles if that is his will. But I also feel that so many times he did demonstrate his power in a given situation for the purpose of inspiring faith. And sadly the history of human behavior is one that often shows how such demonstrations seldom ended with actually inspired faith in most people.

Our lord perform many miracles during his earthly ministry, but so often the gospels convey the idea how to often people followed him just to watch the miracles instead of really hearing his teaching. Thus outside of the disciples and a larger circle of those who did hear and respond far too many ended up departing when he began to emphasis the cost of following him.

Today there are those ministries, especially on television, which give one the impression that miracles are as common as breathing. They make some unbelievable claims with regards to things like healing. I’m not going to pretend to claim I know if all such claims are legitimate.

What I do know is that if someone could heal people that easy, why not out of compassion visit every hospital and hospice on the planet? That never happens, which is not that surprising unfortunately.

Still, I think the same purpose in God’s will exists today as in the past. God seeks to draw us closer to him through faith. Miracles are apart of that process at times.

And just like the past there are some who will always be more addicted to seeing miracles or whatever else appeals to their senses than trusting him. As for me, I’m just happy to get up in the morning and know he has given me one more day to trust him. It is enough. It might not give me anything to brag about, but I can rejoice in that kind of miracle just the same.

May God grant each of us the willingness to search our hearts and listen to his spirit when seeking what is more than just the ordinary. To also be able to enjoy what he does provide and not fret when it isn’t as glamorous at some show on televsion.