For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 KJV I asked my friends at Life Care Center this week to think about what the greatest miracle in the Bible was. Was it the Red Sea crossing, multiplying Bread or raising Lazarus from the dead? Now those are amazing, but the foundation of our entire faith is based on the miracle of Easter morning. And yet for me, the greatest miracle of all is not just that Jesus came, died and rose from the dead. The miracle is that He loved me and gave Himself for me. Why would He do that? Why would He even be interested, much less willing to die in my place? The love of God is both the greatest mystery and the greatest miracle, and this is my testimony of how I found Him, or rather, of how He found me.
miracles
The Greatest Miracle
And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David. Matthew 20:30 KJV
The healing of these blind men is one of the best loved stories of answered prayer. We chuckle when we hear how these blind men shouted so loudly that people standing by told them to be quiet because we like to think of shouting our needs to God and find him listening. We love the fact that when Jesus stopped and called them to come, those same nay-sayers ended up saying, “Cheer up! He’s calling you!” Most of all we love the fact that when they got to Jesus He completely healed them. But we miss the second miracle that happened that afternoon because, for us once prayers it seems like it is time to move on. But Jesus is interested in far more than simply giving us what we ask, so let’s take a look at what happens next.
So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him. Matthew 20:30 KJV
Maybe this morning you are seeking God with an even more urgent request than healing. It could be you are devastated over a broken marriage, a drug addicted child, or the death of a loved one. Be encouraged that God is listening and don’t give up seeking him even if others tell you that it’s no use. But in the press of urgency for God’s help in crisis, we must remember that God has even more than healing, deliverance and comfort available. HIs greatest miracle of all is the grace of a transformed life that will follow Jesus on the road!
Becoming a Water Walker
He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. Matthew 14:29 ESV
When I first became a Christian, I was baptized in a swimming pool behind the church. That might seem strange for some people, but in Arizona having a church pool was not strange at all because it eliminated the need for an indoor baptistry and gave the young people somewhere to go on hot days. I had not read the Bible before Jesus found me and knew nothing more than the creation story and something about loving my neighbor. So, when I learned about Peter getting out of the boat and walking on the water to Jesus I was intrigued. I used to walk around the church pool putting my foot out on the water wondering if I could have enough faith to walk across it. Later, I learned that no one else has figured out that water walking thing since Jesus told Peter to come, 2,000 years ago but I still thought about what his first steps were like. Whether the sea was calm or churning with huge waves really did not matter. Neither option allowed for water walking. In fact, once you walk where feet are not supposed to be able to stand, it really does not matter how far you get from the boat or how deep the water is. You have now entered God’s universe of the impossible and the first thing to remember is that we are not standing on wave tops. We are launching out in faith on the word of Jesus Christ. If He says come, it no longer matters what others think. The only thing that counts is if He is calling, because when Jesus calls, He will also be there to catch you if you start to sink!

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