Miracles

Miracles are actually more common than the word lends one to believe. And when I say the word Miracle I am not talking about the whip you spread on a sandwich, but the beauty of life. Think about it, we live in world that has to be a certain distance from the sun to sustain life-who determined that? Snowflakes are all different, smiles can brighten a day and where did this thing called love come from? What about each and every new day you are given? What about the clouds in the sky, the wind in your hair or the God that created all of this? Life is beautiful, it is a miracle! Even today, in our highly agnostic/secular society, a doctor will confess with their own lips that the birth of a baby is a “Miracle!”

Now, one might think a “Miracle” is a marquee event in life. Yes that is true, when God swoops down from heaven and saves – that is a miracle! But what about the miracle that comes in a silent, still heaven? When God teaches us to trust in Him and stand steady – that is a miracle! When God shows us our feelings are not as important as one might think – that is a miracle! When greed is replaced with generosity and pride is broken in humility – miracle! Or shame with confidence, pain with peace, sadness with joy, addiction with freedom -- ALL MIRACLES THAT REQUIRE PRAISE TO THE ONE WHO PROVIDES MIRACLES.

Do not miss the little miracles in each and every day. Don’t dismiss them, for often they are what mighty miracles are built from. Actually, the unseen/unnoticed miracles are some of God’s greatest works.

“He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.” (Job 5:9)

Ask yourself, “What miracles am I taking for granted today?”

Victory

Living with God on the next level requires us to live IN the victory that Jesus gave us through His death and resurrection. When I was in college I was challenged by God to make this shift. Without even realizing it, I was outwardly showing that I was not living in God’s victory. One day my resident adviser on my wing stopped me and asked me why I always walked around campus with my head down. Inwardly I felt defeated and even though I tried not to show it I could not help it.

Was I saved? Yes! Was I living it out, No! I had to begin to change my thinking and stop focusing on all the distractions in my life and begin to live out the victory Christ gave me. Our lives should be full of thanksgiving for what an amazing victory we live in. Additionally this victory over sin and death should be illustrated by us, demonstrated by us to the world!

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.” (2 Corinthians 2:14)

We should be the ones that draw out the descriptions, bring the color and display those images of the victory won by Christ. Does your life demonstrate this victory? Is it vivid with victory or mundane monotone? Pray and let the Holy Spirit illustrate God’s victory for you and live in victorious color.

“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57)

Running!

Who is your hope? It’s a funny thing to ask, because for many of us the answer lies in ourselves. If your honest thought was “well me really!”, “cause if I don’t do it; it won’t get done”. But the question does not imply that you are an optional answer. Hummmmm! (fingers on cheeks, eyes looking skyward)

Thus our hope must come from an external force in our life. So often are we stimulated by the things of this world that we naturally put our hope in things that are temporal. I love this one, “there is always tomorrow!” We say it as a coping mechanism to get through a really bad present day. But the statement itself places hope again in something temporal. Tomorrow only has 24 hours to it, it is limited. I don’t know about you, but I am tired of placing my hope in limited things, I want a hope that lasts forever! If you are with me, that only gives you one choice to place your hope in; God alone!

Yet it is hard to find that. It reminds me of the many times I was lost in the grocery store as a kid. The moment I realized I was alone, I panicked and “mister freak out” kid burst forth. Running from isle to isle I would franticly search for my parents never knowing that as I passed one isle my parents passed me in the opposite direction. Every time the only way I found them was to stop running. Lost, afraid and alone I compiled my decisions with many mistakes, because I kept running.

If you feel lost, alone, and full of fear – STOP YOUR RUNNING! Stop running from task to task and thing to thing, it’s only getting you farther away from your eternal hope! Stop and pray, stop and fast, stop and let God find you! Our God works best when those He seeks are already in a posture of surrender and humility.

“God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.” (Psalm 53:2)