Today’s Daily Bread ~ Miracles

Matthew 14:15-18 – That evening the disciples came to Him and said, “This is a desolate place, and it is getting late.  Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.”  But Jesus replied, “You feed them.”  “Impossible!” they exclaimed.  “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish!”  “Bring them here,” He said.

Do you believe in miracles?                           

There are several schools of thought on the topic.  One is that there is no need for God to perform signs and wonders anymore, because we have the Bible.  Another is that He performs them quietly, where there is great need.  And some say yes, God performs them all the time.  We’ve just stopped giving Him the credit.  Where do you stand?

Mike and I were recently the recipients of what I believe to be a miracle.  When I quit my job at 96.3 KSCS, it was my hope to find something small to do that brought in just enough money to cover the cost of switching to Mike’s insurance.  I was offered a position at my church, but just before I walked in to fill out the paperwork and sign the contract, I got a clear word from the Lord – “NO.”  That was it.  I had no doubt in my mind that this job was for someone else, and to accept it would be an act of disobedience.

I turned around and left. 

Two days later, I got a text from Mike in the middle of the day.  He had received a raise…for the exact amount we’d been hoping to make.  Some will call this coincidence.  Mike and I call it a miracle.

This morning in my prayer time, something occurred to me, so I started looking at different signs and wonders throughout the Bible.  I don’t know about all of them, but I do know this: Each miracle I researched had one thing in common – human participation.

Matthew 14:18-19 – “Bring them here,” He said.  And He took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and asked God’s blessing on the food.  Breaking the loaves into pieces, He gave some of the bread and fish to each disciple, and the disciples gave them to the people.

Look carefully at what Jesus asked them to do.  The disciples had five loaves of bread and two fish; just enough for them each to have a snack.  And Jesus asked them to give it to Him.  I wonder what went through their minds.  We know from reading a few verses down in John’s Gospel that their faith was not fully developed yet.  Perhaps they looked at each other, skeptically wondering to themselves how He was going to pull this off.  Regardless of what they were thinking, they handed their food over to their Teacher.

They submitted to His command.  They obeyed, even though it made no sense to them at the time.  They gave Him everything they had, and stepped back to see what He would do.

Matthew 14:20-21 – They all ate as much as they wanted, and they picked up twelve baskets of leftovers.

Another example happens that same night.  Matthew 14:22 – Immediately after this, Jesus made His disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake while He sent the people home.  The word in the Greek for made is anagkazó (an-ang-kad’-zo), and carries a forceful indication.  Jesus insisted they climb into the boat and head across the lake; the word also indicates a sense of urgency.

Next, three miracles occur in rapid-fire succession. 

Matthew 14:24-25 – Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves.  About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came to them, walking on the water.  Miracle number one (emphasis mine).  Notice that disciples had obeyed His order to climb into the boat, and were positioned exactly where Jesus told them to be when the miracle occurred.

Matthew 14:28-29 – Then Peter called to Him, “Lord, if it’s really You, tell me to come to You by walking on water.”  “Alright, come,” Jesus said.  So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.  Miracle number two.  Things to note: First, Peter asked for the miracle.  Second, he climbed out of the boat.  He stepped outside of his comfort zone, and trusted Jesus to make the impossible possible. 

Matthew 14:31 – And when they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped.  Miracle number three.

When was the last time you really surrendered?  When was the last time you stepped out of the boat?  Are you listening to the whispers of the Holy Spirit?  Do you trust Jesus for the impossible, or are you attempting to do things in your own strength?  Compare Peter’s strength to Jesus’:  Matthew 14:30 – But when (Peter) looked around at the high waves, he was terrified and began to sink.  Consider this: When the waves are high, when your resources are low, when your strength fades and your circumstances appear impossible, you just might be in a prime position for a mind-blowing miracle if you’ll place your trust in Him.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for this revelation on miracles.  You are God and You do what pleases You, but You also show us through Scripture that, on numerous occasions, You ask for our participation.  You call us to surrender to Your will.  Lord, we ask You to help us do that today.  Some of us are in dire, desperate situations, and we need You to intervene.  Help us to get out of Your way.  Search our hearts, that we do not seek a miracle for a miracle’s sake, but to glorify Your Holy Name.  We have faith, but we ask You to multiply it exponentially, knowing that, in order for our faith to grow, we need to step outside of our boats.  Help us to take that step.  Bring to mind what we need to surrender, and help us to give it to You.  God, thank You for speaking to us through the Bible; help us to be more disciplined in reading it.  We love You so much, God, help us to love You more.  We pray these things in the spirit of victory, as we ask in the name above all names, Jesus Christ. Amen.