I believe…
It is crazy that we have been going through this series at church recently called Miracles. We have been studying the miracles of Jesus in the lives of many people. When I read the miracles I often think to myself why we don’t see more of this today. I know there are a whole bunch of people who I am sure would like to give me theological insight into this question, but the thought still stands in the midst of man’s explanations. I am hungry for miracles.
I have come to the conclusion that in our society God often follows the nature laws of our world. If you jump off a building the law of gravity will kick in and your will hit the ground. You are an idiot to test God by jumping off a building — trust me you will hit the ground. However, there are times when God performs a miracle that is unexplainable by the laws of nature. These are moments I long to experience. I must admit, most people I have prayed God would heal have died. This has not kept me from praying for a multitude of others, but often times the result is opposite from my request. This month God did something unexplainable.
I blogged about my friend Andrey who was diagnosed 90% certain with cancer in his body. He waited for the results to come back from Kiev and anticipated bad news. Honestly, so did I. I prayed and prayed and prayed believing as I had with many others — maybe this would be the time. I received an email from Andrey’s friend Anna with the good news. What she wrote I pasted below:
“…but today, when he came, they was told that his tests came the day before yesterday evening, but they were not in the laboratory, but in the doctor’s office, that’s why nobody knew of them … soo.. his analysis showed «no cancer and no other problems, just a weak immune system, and everything else is normal» Even doctors gathered at a meeting on this matter, because all the symptoms and preliminary tests showed that 90% he had of cancer .. they are all wondering! so this is a miracle that God created and we are very thankful for it. =)”
As I read this email I cried. Although in my experience this is not the common result, it is not out of God’s control or reach. Join me in continuing to pray with thankfulness for this miracle. Join me in praying for many others who need the same divine act of God to stay on this earth a bit longer.
March 9th, 2010 at 8:43 pm
Jake, I should introduce you to our friend, Sophear. She is a treasure-trove of miracle stories. Just today, she was telling me one. You see, she is a widow and the mother of three teenagers. Last month, she used her last piece of chicken. She told the Lord, “that was my last piece of chicken, Lord”. She didn’t have money to buy more food, as it was near the end of the month. A friend called a few hours later, and said she wanted to come over to deliver some…..chicken. While Sophear was waiting, she prayed that if her friend stopped by the store, that the Lord would impress on her that she needed toilet paper. Oh, and that her kids were getting tired of the same kind of crackers, could He please have her bring Ritz. So, without telling her friend any of this, the lady brought her chicken, TP, and RITZ!!!! Sophear is such a strong believer in God’s power! I keep telling her she should write a book….when we moved into this house, the previous owners left a washer/dryer behind. I just casually asked her if she wanted them. She started to weep. “I cried out to the Lord” she says. Their machines were not working, and she hadn’t told ANYONE (but the Lord!!) Ok, that’s all. But if you ever need a miracle story, I know where to find one, or a hundred!!
March 9th, 2010 at 9:26 pm
wowowowowowow. praying with you - send andrey our love
March 9th, 2010 at 10:05 pm
So glad to hear about Andrey! Wonderful! I’ve had a bunch of miracles happen… did you ever hear about how I got the money for my first visit here to see my family? Talk about a God-send!! After my family had been here around 15months, I really wanted to come and see them but neither of us had the money. I asked my godmother, a travel agent, to book flights hoping that money would somehow arrive. My dad hoped payment would come for a job he was doing here and I upped my hours in my student job. A few days before I was booked to fly there still wasn’t enough money. The tickets couldn’t be issued without the money. On two sides of the world we prayed. Two days before the departure date I got a call from someone asking for my dad. When I told him that Dad had been living in the USA for over a year he asked whether I could ask my Dad how he’d like the money owed to him from stocks he’d had in a company years before. I asked how much it was. It exactly covered the balance on the tickets. To the dollar!!!!! Although the check was made out to my dad, I was able to get ID and permission faxed to me from Dad, took it to the company with my ID where they gave me the check and told me to go to that specific branch to cash it out. In a VERY dangerous neighborhood. I did it. And God got me here the next day for my first taste of California…