Have you ever had limited expectations of God? I have. I’ll admit it, my reason often influences what I imagine God might do. In our current situation with the Coronavirus pandemic captivating so much of our time, our efforts, or lives… what do we expect God to do? When we are facing a complicated personal situation – a diagnosis that is difficult, a transition that is trying, a relationship that is broken… what do we expect God to do? Sometimes, maybe often, we trust in what makes sense to us, what seems reasonable, or what our experience of life has been.
Our perspective is narrow; our experience is quite limited. Our knowledge is minute compared to our infinite God. We are bound; God is not. We are limited; God is limitless.
During our series of messages in August of 2020 we will examine some of the miracles that Jesus did during his ministry. He healed the sick, raised the dead, cast out demons, fed an entire crowd (twice!), walked on water, calmed the storm, and more. What do these miracles mean? What do they demonstrate about the identity, power, and authority of Jesus? And what do they mean for us today?
Looking at the miracles of Jesus helps us to see beyond our experience and believe beyond reason. Jesus brought the kingdom of God to earth. Where he is the rules are different. God is able to do more than we ask or imagine. And we can trust in Him.
He doesn’t promise that he will give us everything we want, fix everything that is broken, rescue us from every trial or difficulty. Examining the lives of the Apostles shows us that in this world things are still complicated. But when God acts, according to his purposes, he does do the miraculous. He’s not done acting. He still is at work in us and around us. When we look for what he’s doing, we can see his fingerprints and we can know his power. If we think back over our lives we can likely identify circumstances and situations where things worked out. It is said that “coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous.” I believe that God has worked miracles for me, for my family, and for people whom I know. I believe we can ask him to be at work on our behalf. I believe; help my unbelief.
Tune in to the worship stream (instructions can be found here) to look at the miracles of Jesus and see how they help us today.