Mar 23 - "Signs and Wonders"

"Then Jesus said to him, 'Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.' The official said to Him, 'Come down before my little boy dies.' Jesus said to him, 'Go; your son will live.' The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way. As he was going down, his slaves met him and told him that his child was alive. So he asked the hour when he began to recover, and they said to him, 'Yesterday at one in the afternoon the fever left him.' The father realized that this was the hour when Jesus said to him, 'Your son will live.' So, he himself believed, along with his whole household." --- John 4:43-54
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What does it take to believe?

It seems that I have always believed. Yes, there have been times when my faith was shaken and I was not sure God existed or, even if He did exist, I wanted no part of what He had to offer. But, besides those dry and questioning times that most of us experience, I have pretty much lived surrounded by a life in the church with faith in God being a central part of my existence. There was never, even after the period when I questioned my faith, a miracle moment, a "born again" experience or some other major event which caused me to shout out, "I believe!!".

In my Monday night sessions with the Jehoshua House team at Hamilton County Jail, we have the opportunity to hear from our team and from the inmates, experiences where, through some miracle, their life was turned around. We are witness to the testimony of their lives being at rock bottom, calling out to God and being saved. These men were shaken out of their painful existence and thrown into the flowing river of a life with God and Jesus Christ at the center of their lives.

But what about us who have continually been in this river of faith? Even though we haven't always drunk deeply of the Living Water which refreshes our souls, we've waded, swam against the current, hit a sand bar at times or flowed easily downstream. We've not necessarily experienced miracles which caused our faith to deepen; major events which turned us from our old lives to something new. But, does that mean these miracles don't exist? Is it OK to pray for "a sign", reaching out to God and asking Him to deliver something miraculous?

Miracles are funny things, I think. One of my favorite sayings comes from a song by Sheryl Crow, where she says, "Making miracles is hard work, some people give up before they happen." Miracles don't have to be these giant events like parting the Red Sea, water to wine, amazing healing from the brink of death or raising Lazarus. They can be little things like a hug from a child when you are feeling low; a beautiful sunset showing the majesty of God's creation, filling you with the Spirit; a kind word or simple act of charity you give to a stranger. All of these things are signs of God working in the world and the full realization of sacrifice Jesus made for all of us.

So, it's OK to pray for signs and wonders. Sometimes it's what it takes to strengthen our faith. But be on watch for the little things. If we open our eyes and our hearts to the miracles which occur around us every day, we will believe.