Ordinary Miracles
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January 5, 2004
| Ordinary Miracles By Donna Partow copyright@2003 My 7 year old, Tara, has recently discovered the joy of reading the Bible for herself. She also loves reading aloud and this week she shared the story of Naaman with me. Although I’ve heard it many times, this time it hit me in a profound way. You probably recall the story from 2 Kings 5:1-13. Naaman was afflicted with leprosy. His wife’s servant girl, an Israelite, urged him to visit the prophet Elisha to obtain a miracle. So off Naaman went, with high hopes for a miraculous cure. As he made the journey to Israel, he formulated in his own mind exactly how the miracle would take place: Elisha would wave his hand over his head, calling out to God and poof—no more leprosy. Drama. That’s what he had in mind. So when Elisha told him to go wash in the Jordan River seven times, Naaman was furious. Where’s the excitement in that? In fact, Naaman was so angry he refused to do as the prophet instructed. Then one of his servants said to him, “If the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” The church today is filled with people who are afflicted in spirit, soul and body, and many are seeking miraculous cures. And, yes, I believe God still performs miracles today. But far more often, God simply says as Elisha said to Naaman: “Wash and be cleansed.” For most of us, healing is not found in the extraordinary but in the ordinary: simple things we take for granted; simple things we often neglect. Yes, God can heal the sick through miraculous intervention, but isn’t it a miracle that he created human beings with the ability to find cures for so many diseases? And isn’t it an even greater miracle that our bodies were created to heal themselves? Cuts, bruises, sore throats and headaches all remind us that, even without human intervention, our bodies can often heal. Isn’t it a miracle that God placed healing foods (enriched with vitamins, mineral and vital nutrients) on the earth: fruits, vegetables, herbs and more that have the power to fortify against disease? Isn’t it a miracle that we can alter our bodies just by altering the foods we eat? Yes, God can bring emotional healing in a dramatic way through a powerful prayer warrior interceding on their behalf, but far more healing is brought about in human hearts through daily meditation on God’s Word. Yes, God can appoint someone to “speak a word” into your life, but is it any less miraculous that he has preserved his Word through thousands of years of war and disaster? Think of the tyrants through the ages who’ve tried to destroy the Bible, yet it has endured. What a miracle! And isn’t it miraculous that we have the ability to read? That our eyes can look at markings on a page, and somehow, those markings can change who we are and how we live? Do you need a miracle in your life? If God were to tell you, right now, to do some “dramatic” thing, my guess is that you would probably do it. But maybe God is urging you to avail yourself of the ordinary miracles he has already provided. Several years ago, on New Year’s Eve, our pastor urged us to bow our heads and ask God for a mighty miracle in the coming year. Do you know what God spoke to my heart that late December evening? He said, “Donna, if you really want to see a mighty miracle in your life, learn to do smaller things with greater faithfulness.” Smaller things with greater faithfulness. That’s where the real power in the Christian life comes from. To restore your spirit, stop waiting for a profound breakthrough and start reading through the Bible, day by day, seeking God in prayer. To restore your soul, stop looking to a person (pastor, counselor, husband or friend) to “fix you”—instead, take small steps to renew your mind (like memorizing scripture, reciting Affirmations), fortify your will (practice saying “No” to yourself, perhaps beginning in the area of food or leisure activities) and stabilize your emotions (by counting your blessings) To restore your body, forget about magic pills and potions that promise dramatic results in 2, 7 or 10 days. Instead, look to what God has already provided—fruits, vegetables and—in honor of Naaman— plenty of water. For those of you who have joined the 90 Day Renewal—and are hoping for a miracle--let me ask you a few questions: Are you writing out your memory verses each morning? Is your house filled with post-it notes and/or index cards with your verses and affirmations written upon them? Are you reading your passage each morning? Are you adding the suggested food items to your diet? Are you walking a little each day? Have you purchased a mini-trampoline—and are you bouncing on it? Have you found an accountability partner? And most important of all……..are you drinking lots of water? For those of you who haven’t joined us yet, we would love to have you traveling along: Jump on in, the water’s fine. Just click here to get started: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/90DayRenewal/ copyright@2003 by Donna Partow |
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