Finding Wonders In Miracles
Finding Wonder in Miracles
In our “seeing is believing” world, the term "miracle" often loses its luster. The original meaning of the word was to describe “an event that cannot be explained by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency.” Our culture has traded the meaning of miracle for a more casual definition, attaching it to events that may be remarkable, but lack the transcendence and divine intervention inherent in true miracles. It seems then, to understand the true meaning of a miracle, we should first delineate what it isn't.
Miracles are not mere statistical improbabilities or technological marvels. They are not the improbable outcomes of chance or the feats of human ingenuity. Earlier this year, 77-year-old Cliff Romme made a hole-in-one twice in the same round of golf. While this occurrence is very rare and may have inspired awe (or gratitude on Mr. Rommes’ part), it falls short of the true meaning of miraculous. Even such great accomplishments as landing a human on the moon doesn’t qualify as a miracle.
True miracles, as depicted in Scripture, are different. They are deliberate acts of divine power. They serve as signs, pointing beyond themselves to the reality of God's presence and His sovereignty over creation. From the parting of the Red Sea to the healing touch of Jesus, miracles bear witness to the God who orchestrates the impossible to reveal His glory.
Consider the wedding at Cana (John 2:1-12), where Jesus turned water into wine. This was not a parlor trick but a revelation of His identity and mission. In transforming water into wine, Jesus signaled His authority over nature and inaugurated the manifestation of His glory. Each miracle performed by Jesus was a signpost. Signaling to the world to recognize Him as the Messiah, the Son of God. Miracles were recorded to get you and me to shift our focus from the actual wonders to the One who made them—to behold the living God in our presence.
Still, critics often question the authenticity of the Gospels due to their inclusion of miraculous events. However, if we consider the promised reality of God with us (Matthew 1:23) which the historical record and firsthand testimonies of Jesus' life prove to be true—then the presence of miracles becomes not only plausible but also consistent with His nature. What better way to demonstrate His existence than by suspending the natural order in a way that defies human understanding?
While skepticism may arise concerning the authenticity of miracles, yet clearly their occurrence aligns with the very nature of God. As pointed out, if God exists, as the testimony of Scripture attests, then miracles are a logical extension of His divine character. They are the fingerprints of the Almighty, affirming His existence and inviting us into a deeper relationship with Him.
The beauty of miracles doesn’t lie in their defiance of natural laws but in their revelation of supernatural truth. They affirm that there is a reality beyond what we see with of our senses—a reality where the impossible becomes possible in the hands of the Creator.
I encourage you to not be content with shallow wonder or fleeting amazement of what culture calls a miracle but see beyond the surface to the miracles in scripture and find God’s presence. Through these miracles, the most amazing of which was Jesus’ resurrection we see the One who invites us to believe and find abundant life in Him.
Father, never let me forget that You are the God of the impossible. When I read of great wonders in scripture, point me to You who authors every miraculous event so I may know, as the prophet Jeremiah said, that you are God and that there is none like you. Amen
Credit: Ron Kelley
In our “seeing is believing” world, the term "miracle" often loses its luster. The original meaning of the word was to describe “an event that cannot be explained by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency.” Our culture has traded the meaning of miracle for a more casual definition, attaching it to events that may be remarkable, but lack the transcendence and divine intervention inherent in true miracles. It seems then, to understand the true meaning of a miracle, we should first delineate what it isn't.
Miracles are not mere statistical improbabilities or technological marvels. They are not the improbable outcomes of chance or the feats of human ingenuity. Earlier this year, 77-year-old Cliff Romme made a hole-in-one twice in the same round of golf. While this occurrence is very rare and may have inspired awe (or gratitude on Mr. Rommes’ part), it falls short of the true meaning of miraculous. Even such great accomplishments as landing a human on the moon doesn’t qualify as a miracle.
True miracles, as depicted in Scripture, are different. They are deliberate acts of divine power. They serve as signs, pointing beyond themselves to the reality of God's presence and His sovereignty over creation. From the parting of the Red Sea to the healing touch of Jesus, miracles bear witness to the God who orchestrates the impossible to reveal His glory.
Consider the wedding at Cana (John 2:1-12), where Jesus turned water into wine. This was not a parlor trick but a revelation of His identity and mission. In transforming water into wine, Jesus signaled His authority over nature and inaugurated the manifestation of His glory. Each miracle performed by Jesus was a signpost. Signaling to the world to recognize Him as the Messiah, the Son of God. Miracles were recorded to get you and me to shift our focus from the actual wonders to the One who made them—to behold the living God in our presence.
Still, critics often question the authenticity of the Gospels due to their inclusion of miraculous events. However, if we consider the promised reality of God with us (Matthew 1:23) which the historical record and firsthand testimonies of Jesus' life prove to be true—then the presence of miracles becomes not only plausible but also consistent with His nature. What better way to demonstrate His existence than by suspending the natural order in a way that defies human understanding?
While skepticism may arise concerning the authenticity of miracles, yet clearly their occurrence aligns with the very nature of God. As pointed out, if God exists, as the testimony of Scripture attests, then miracles are a logical extension of His divine character. They are the fingerprints of the Almighty, affirming His existence and inviting us into a deeper relationship with Him.
The beauty of miracles doesn’t lie in their defiance of natural laws but in their revelation of supernatural truth. They affirm that there is a reality beyond what we see with of our senses—a reality where the impossible becomes possible in the hands of the Creator.
I encourage you to not be content with shallow wonder or fleeting amazement of what culture calls a miracle but see beyond the surface to the miracles in scripture and find God’s presence. Through these miracles, the most amazing of which was Jesus’ resurrection we see the One who invites us to believe and find abundant life in Him.
Father, never let me forget that You are the God of the impossible. When I read of great wonders in scripture, point me to You who authors every miraculous event so I may know, as the prophet Jeremiah said, that you are God and that there is none like you. Amen
Credit: Ron Kelley
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