Matthew 9:32-34 Accepting Miracles

While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” But the Pharisees said, “It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons.” Matthew 9:32-34

Why is it so hard for us – me, you, the religious leaders in Jesus’ time – to accept the miraculous moments God performs around us every day? Instead, we sometimes attribute what we cannot explain to some supernatural force of evil. The Pharisees say Jesus can only drive out demons if He Himself is possessed or controlled by Satan. Why would they say that? One reason might be fear – to accept He is truly from God, they would have to accept everything else He was teaching. Fear of the unknown is a powerful hindrance to truly embracing the nature and power of our Lord.

Today, if someone prays for healing and that person is healed, the miracle is often celebrated. How many people, however, are also privately afraid? That’s too big of a miracle, they might think. Finding lost keys is one thing, but driving out demons, or healing the sick? How often do we try to rationalize that perhaps something of this world was the cause of the miracle, rather than God Himself?

There are many wonderful books which discuss how not to limit our view of God’s power. One such book is The Circle Maker, by Mark Batterson. Reading this was an eye-opening experience for me for many reasons, not least of which was the almost casual way in which the author describes the amazing answers to prayer God has done in his life.

Personally, I’ve seen some whoppers; maybe nothing like Batterson’s church taking over an entire city block in Washington DC but, in the context of my own life and, at times, my own despair, God’s answer to prayer was nothing short of miraculous. In those moments (and don’t we yearn for these moments?) there could be no rationalizing or finding some alternate explanation that better fits into the box we’ve built around our personal universe.

When we read about miracles in the Bible, I pray that more of us stop seeing them as “stories” but factual events where God shows His power and mercy to us, sometimes in big ways and sometimes subtly. Let’s deliberately lift the veil around our fear and skepticism, to see miracles as something that have happened, and still do. As we do, perhaps we will begin to notice – and accept – His work around us every day with awe and gratitude.

Pray

Holy Father, you created everything we see and don’t see, Open our eyes and hearts to the unlimited possibilities within our life of what You are capable of, because there is nothing You cannot do. Amen.

Comments