I told Susan last spring, “If I can make it through a summer of camp then we’ll declare it a miracle!” We run camps during the summer at Greater Atlanta Christian School and the work can be quite draining. We had a great summer! I had full energy and I am so thankful.
So is it a miracle? Yesterday, one of my neighbors told me that when she sees me walking around the neighborhood, she wants to get down on her knees and thank God for the miracle He worked. Is that a proper response? I have two other neighbors who are nurses at Emory, where I had the stem cell transplant. They know all the doctors who worked with me and they understand the medical procedures I endured. Would they say my health is a miracle?
I guess I should not speak for them, but I know they believe they often see the hand of God. They prayed for me with unique understanding as I was sick. Not only would they visit me when I was at Emory, but they would check on me at my house or give me rides to the hospital on their way to work. They know the medical reasons I have health again, but I suspect they would still call it a miracle.
In our theologies we sometimes argue about miracles. Our definitions are often rigid and limited. It doesn’t make much difference to me how someone defines a miracle, I just know I was once quite sick and now I am quite well. And I know Who is responsible!
“But what if your next report says the cancer is back?” What if it does? Nothing will take away the miracle of this past year. We don’t know too much about Lazarus after he was raised from the dead. But we can be confident of one thing… he died again. Does that negate the miracle Jesus performed? What if he died of the same sickness that led to his first death? Would it matter?
If we pray in faith, it seems to me, we all believe in some type of miracle. Is it not a miracle that I can utter words out loud or in my mind and the Creator of all things hears and answers? Lord, increase our faith! I want to pray for the sick with a faith that believes God will bring instant healing. But if God has a different timetable or a different plan, we’ll let Him be in control. That’s the great challenge – to always believe our perfect Father is in control. He is.
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21