Am I a miracle?

At bible study this week, we were talking about the miracles of Jesus. The question was posed, have you ever seen a miracle? And there was some discussion. Several people recounted something that happened to them that couldn’t be explained in natural ways. Maybe it was a miracle? Some other people said they haven’t experienced anything that couldn’t be explained in natural ways. For them, miracles, where they occur, were more like a concept in a book. They didn’t amount to much in day-to-day life that they live.

One guy said that maybe miracles were more common in Jesus’ days because they were a witness to his divinity. But because we now had the Holy Spirit, who is a witness to Jesus’ divinity, miracles aren’t needed. I had never thought about that. There is some truth to that.

Another man, who was a retired pastor, shared that during all of his ministry they would often pray for healing, but he never saw a “miraculous” healing. Often people got better, but seemingly through normal ways.

Let me say this, everyone there in the bible study believes that miracles are possible. I guess the question is if they are so rare that we don’t need to rely on them are they common occurrences as God orchestrates our lives. Yeah, that is something to think about. In fact, for me it is the crux of the issue, how much does God intervene in my life.

As usual, I didn’t say anything, talking about things as I’m thinking about them is hard. Because after thinking about them for a while, well, then I need to figure out words that I need to talk about what I’ve been thinking about. Thinking about things and then thinking about the words that I need, is too much thinking. Or maybe it is just pride. I guess that’s why I usually write rather than speak. I am not tongue tied at the keyboard. But here is what I wanted to say. I wanted to pose the question, am I a miracle?

I know what people will say. They will say yes, I am a miracle. I asked the pastor of my church what he thought, he said of course you are a miracle, you could have died but you are alive. I’m not sure it counts as a miracle, but man do I like that sentiment. That retired pastor that said he had never seen a miraculous healing. Wonder what he would say? You know what, I’m going to ask him. I’m chuckling a little bit thinking how he might respond. He is a kind and thoughtful man. I wonder if it is possible to be a miracle without having anything miraculous happen?

I guess my take is important as well. Am I a miracle? Is there anything that is defying the laws of nature? I mean, a clot formed in my artery and some of my brain was affected. That is what the laws of nature say will happen. On the other hand, when I was told I had a stroke, I assume what happened was a clot happened in an artery somewhere in the brain. That isn’t really what happened, not exactly, what happened was my carotid artery which carries one fourth of the blood to my brain was completely blocked. One fourth of the blood flow in my brain stopped that day. Man, you think about a stroke from a little clot in a little artery somewhere in your brain, to a big clot in a big artery, I don’t know how I survived that. I survived it almost unscathed. How did that happen? So my take is this, I think I‘m a miracle. I can’t defend that idea, because nothing “miraculous” happened. But I believe I’m a miracle. Which leads me to what I want to say.

The passage we were studying in our Bible study was Matthew 8.1-17 The first four books of Matthew recount Jesus’ early days, becoming a man and the beginning of his ministry. The next three books of Matthew are the sermon on the mount. And then, Matthew 8, the heading of the chapter in my Bible says, “Jesus performed many miracles”. The sermon on the mount ends with this: “When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. Matt. 7.29

The teachers of the law, the experts of the law, those men who dedicated their lives to the law, well, Jesus was different from them, because he taught as one who had authority. The experts in the law had no authority, they could talk about it, but beyond that they were powerless. But Jesus had authority.

So, before talking about the miracles of Jesus, we talked about the authority of Jesus. And I wonder if this passage is about miracles, or authority? Because the authority he has is the foundation of the miracles. More than that, it’s the foundation of everything.

Colossians 1 verses 16-17 says this: “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. “

Jesus has authority over everything. When he taught, he taught as one who had authority, and everyone was amazed.

The first miracle in chapter 8 was about a man who wanted to be cured of leprosy. What this man said was sorta amazing. He knelt down and said, “Lord if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Somehow he figured out that Jesus could do this, he had authority over his disease. The issue isn’t, can you do this, but are you willing to do this. And what Jesus said, man, what Jesus said, blows me away. He reached out and touched him and said, I am willing.

And he was healed. I don’t know if I am talking about this man or my stroke. But I think I am talking about my stroke. Because Jesus has authority over my stroke. Jesus who created the world, Jesus who created visible things, invisible things, Jesus who holds everything together, and I wonder if he said, I am willing.

I have a confession, I can’t recall praying to God when this ordeal started. I can’t remember praying when I woke up in the ICU. I can’t remember praying at all in the hospital. I had to have, I mean, I had to have prayed. The brain fog of a stroke, I just can’t remember. But hundreds of you prayed. And I think Jesus said, I am willing.

The second miracle in Matthew 8 was a story about a Roman soldier, a centurion. And again, it was about authority. Not in a roundabout way, but right to the point.

When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?” The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it. When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith….. Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment. Matt. 8.5-13

It is an amazing story, I mean it was truly an amazing story. Even Jesus was amazed. Everyone else was amazed at what Jesus was doing, and Jesus was amazed at the centurion’s faith, this man who understood authority. Just say the word. Thinking about the authority of Jesus is a good way to start thinking about miracles.

I realized something, the “experts” in medicine are a lot like the “experts” on the law, they could study it, they can work on it, and certainly they can talk about it. Man, I have talked a lot about the stroke to doctors. Those experts in their field; those men who dedicated their lives to medicine, and I am thankful for them, but Jesus is different from them, because he has authority. God has authority in my life, he has authority over my stroke. It doesn’t matter to me if it happens through a miracle, or happens in other ways. God is in charge.

If I focus on the science of my stroke it can be discouraging, but if I focus on what God is doing through my stroke. I can see the miraculous.

Miraculous healing. Maybe without any miracles? You can decide. But I am being healed.