Miracles are believed by many and misinterpreted by even more.
Like so many of us, we make wishes. Whether it's by blowing out some birthday candles, wishing on a well or hoping for the sightings of a shooting star, we close our eyes to escape reality, in hopes of making a change in our lives. Just as quickly as we close our eyes and make our wish we open them and are placed right back into the reality that was before. No wish come true. No miracle. The act of our wish being nothing more than a really long blink.
The misconception with prayers and miracles is that God is a genie waiting at our beck and call. We pray to God that He may reconcile a friendship, get us an ‘A’ in physics or get us out of a speeding ticket. In most cases, we do not get our millions; we receive an ‘F’ in physics; and we find ourselves with a hefty fine for going to fast. We can’t simply close our eyes, fold our hands and pray to God, hoping he work a miracle in our life, then once finished praying, get up and continue playing video games. A miracle flows through an ACTIVE faith. Did you actively pursue conversation with your friend? Did you study as hard as you could, get tutored and ask the teacher for help to receive that ‘A’? Did you focus on the road and not your iPod or cellphone so as not to speed?
In John 2: 7-9a, the disciples were active in their faith by DOING and by BELIEVING in Jesus. They use their strength to lift the pots; fill them with water, etc. The miracle did not just happen without first doing what they could with the resources that they already had. When Jesus feeds the 5,000 he doesn’t just “I dream of Jeanni” a bunch of food out of thin air, he used the fish, bread and wine they already had.
This poem, written by an anonymous author and recently read aloud by Pastor James MacDonald, is a great illustration of being active in your faith.
Butt Prints in the Sand
One night I had a wondrous dream,
One set of footprints there was seen,
The footprints of my precious Lord,
But mine were not along the shore.
But then some stranger prints appeared,
And I asked the Lord, "What have we here?"
Those prints are large and round and neat,
"But Lord they are too big for feet."
"My child," He said in somber tones,
"For miles I carried you alone.
I challenged you to walk in faith,
But you refused, and made me wait."
"You disobeyed, you would not grow,
The walk of faith, you would not know.
So I got tired, I got fed up,
and there I dropped you on your butt."
"Because in life, there comes a time,
when one must fight, and one must climb.
When one must rise and take a stand,
or leave their butt prints in the sand."
So the next time you find yourself in prayer consider the following: did you do everything you are capable of doing; are you doing all that the bible has counseled you to do; have you removed all impediments to God through prayer (confession of sins); are you praying in faith; and a big one, are you praying for a miracle that will be for God’s glory and not a selfish motive?
Our God is an awesome God, abundant in love and active in our lives, so long as we follow him.
Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
(John 14:13 ESV)
