When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles!” Mark 6:2 (NIV)
Life is always surprising. Sometimes the things you think are going to happen don’t happen at all. Sometimes the things that you think will never happen do. And sometimes miracles happen. Small ones. Medium ones. Miracles, nonetheless.
For the last eight months my friend Shelly has been fighting ovarian cancer. These last couple of weeks have been difficult ones. She has been in the hospital, in pain, enduring tests and procedures. It looked doubtful that she would be able to go home any time soon.
But Shelly’s home church declared this past week a 24–7 prayer week. Around the clock people took hour time slots to pray for Shelly. While praying, I asked God, “Don’t You hear us? All of us? All of these prayers for Shelly?” Then I had the thought, What would be happening if we weren’t praying for Shelly? I think Jesus was urging us to prayer at exactly the right time.
Because when the week ended, Ben, Shelly’s husband, texted us that Shelly was coming home. I shouted out loud, “Praise the Lord!” And did a happy dance. I think Jesus was reminding me that He hears each and every word we utter. He is the God of Red Sea partings. The God who walks on water. The God who raises people from the dead. He is the Magnificent… the Conqueror… the Healer.
I took Shelly’s coming home as a sign of hope. A sign of things to come. I, for one, can’t wait to see what the next miracle is going to be.
Faith step: Sometimes we forget that Jesus is a miraculous God. Take out your journal and write a list of the miracles He has performed in your life, big and small, and remind yourself that you serve a God that does the impossible.
