I love how God just drops His mercy right out of the sky sometimes. Stay with me today, Girls, I might circle the block before I reach my final destination! My great-grandmother is dying. Sorry for the blunt delivery, but that's the way it is. Mamaw will be 96 on September 16th. I don't think she will make it. As much as she will be missed by her countless friends and relatives, this is not her home. She's lived a long life and she's ready to see her Savior face to face. But, because Mamaw is in the last days of her life, I made an unscheduled trip to Austin this past weekend. I wanted to see her one more time, kiss her and have my chance to say good-bye. I don't know how many of you know this, but I was born and raised in Austin, so this little trip was a homecoming of sorts. As I sat in her hospital room on Saturday (watching the Longhorns beat Rice--HOOK 'EM) the cousins began rolling in. We had our own mini-reunion at the Scott & White Hospital in Georgetown, Texas. It was such a nice time remembering all the stories about our childhood. My Mamaw lived alone and independent until the day before she went into the hospital. That in itself is a miracle. The thing that put her in the hospital was the "catastrophic rupture of her lower intestine" said the internist on call. Because of her age, she wasn't a candidate for surgery. She would need a miracle for healing. Pause.
There are other things in my own life that will require a miracle to get me through. I've been presenting my requests to God, most from places so deep inside me, I didn't really even have the words to pray. I couldn't verbalize that what I was really asking God for was in fact a miracle. While I was in Austin, I went to my previous church for Sunday services. I arrived early (no surprise there) and decided to flip through the bulletin while I waited for service to begin. There was a bulletin insert entitled Prayers. It was a half sheet of paper, printed on the front and the back. Listed in two columns on both sides were the prayer requests of the congregation of Good Shepherd. There were prayers of thanksgiving and prayers for healing needed. Prayers for safe travel and prayers of peace for school exams. The one prayer that caught me eye simply said "The Miracle". There was no explanation, no name, just "The Miracle". That's when it hit me like a ton of bricks--what I had been asking God for, was a miracle.
Naturally I headed for the Scriptures to do a little research on the mighty miracles of God. Don't worry, I won't recount ALL of them for you, but I do want to hit on a couple. When the children of Israel stood facing the raging waters of the Red Sea with Pharaoh's army closing in behind them...they needed a miracle. God had a bigger plan than simply getting them from Point A to Point B. There was a reason for the Israelites to head toward the Sea instead of through the open country. However, the people didn't know that. They are faced with a big-huge body of water in front of them and a murderous king behind them. Look at what they had to say, "As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!" Exodus 14:10-12 Can you hear the fear in their cries? "Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." Exodus 14:13-14 The rest of the story: God used Moses to part the Red Sea, so that the Israelites could pass on dry ground. As Pharaoh's army tried to cross, the waters returned and drown them all! That was a miracle. We've seen God work through His prophets to perform mighty acts of wonder. Elisha raised a woman's son from the dead, see 2 Kings chapter 4 for the full account. Raising the dead. That qualifies as a miracle. Many of you are probably thinking, "Well, yeah He did those things, but that was a long time ago. Does God really move like that now?" My answer: Yes He does. We move from the Old Testament into the New Testament and we see two of God's greatest miracles. He sent His one and only Son to come down to earth, live as one of us--yet be separate from us in the fact that Jesus was absolutely sinless. Then, as He hung on the Cross for my sins, and your sins, the penalty was paid in full. Where's the miracle? Three days later, God raised Jesus from the dead--totally and completely breaking the bonds of death. Now, for the final miracle that I want to share with you today (though there are many more we could discuss) you need to come with me to the book of Romans. "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 God did not wait for us to get our acts together before He sent the One who could redeem us. Girls, listen to this point: through the blood of Christ we are clean. Our sins, our thoughts, our deeds are white as snow. Our souls have been saved from an eternity of damnation. Raising the dead...that's pretty cool. I mean, I can't do that. Saving us from our sins? No one can do that, except Christ. That's a miracle.
So what do we walk away with? Do I still need a miracle? Yes, I do. Do I still need God to flex some of that mighty muscle over my family this week? Yes, I do. But there is a bigger demonstration of power at work in my life than the relief from the physical pain we are suffering. God is working inside my spirit. He is renewing my mind, cleansing me (by way of fire) to trust Him always...even when I can't see Him. Even when I can't feel Him. Trust in the Words He gave us, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5 I'll still be praying for the miracle I've asked for, but I embrace the miracle that has already occurred, and I will praise Him and thank Him. I am redeemed. All who call the name of Christ will share in that miracle. Be blessed this week.
A miracle is not the suspension of natural laws, but the expansion of a higher law.
Registration for the Trinity Women's Conference-Dreams COMING SOON!!
Until then, check out our speaker Kerri's website at www.kerripom.com
Advent By Candlelight is coming! Sunday, December 5th! We need table hostesses. Contact me for more details.
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