ORDINARY MIRACLES
Several years ago, when my brother was living in California, he would always come home for Christmas. I remember that one year, we actually had some alone time, just him and me. Very rare was it that we got to steal alone time. We did spur of the moment things. We went to a favorite bookstore of mine and did some other shopping in the same area. We went to a local restaurant and ate cheesecake. Then, we went and saw a movie. Not just any movie but “Charlottes Web.” I am sure it looked strange for a 40-year-old man and a 50 something year old woman, going to see what is characterized as a children’s movie! My brother had always liked that book as a child and had always wanted to see the movie. So, like a big sister should do, I took him to see it.
The main song of the movie is “Ordinary Miracles” by Sarah McLachlan. Some of the lyrics say “…it is not unusual when everything is beautiful…it seems so exceptional that things work out after all…life is like a gift, they say wrapped up for you every day open up and find a way to give some of your own…the sky knows when it is time to snow…don’t need to teach a seed to grow…sun comes up and shines so bright and disappears again at night.” The song is telling us that everyday wonders of nature are given to us by God, for us to enjoy. These are the day to day ordinary miracles we see. There is no need for actual miracles like Jesus and his apostles used in Bible times because we have everyday happenings and everyday wonders of nature and life. We are told in the New Testament, that miracles ceased when their purpose here on earth ceased. (1 Corinthians 13:8-10) Miracles are supernatural happenings, beyond nature, signs that helped the early Christians to believe in Jesus. John 20:30-31 reads “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” The Christians in New Testament times had always gone by the laws of the Old Testament and here they were to believe that they were to follow the new laws Jesus and the apostles was teaching them. These miracles or signs were used to help these Christians to believe that Jesus was truly the Son of God and they were to follow His teachings. There are so many miracles that were done in the Old and New Testament to illustrate this. In Joshua the 10th chapter, we read about the sun standing still. In John the 2nd chapter, we read of Jesus’ first miracle, turning water into wine. These happenings were beyond nature. These miracles were not a normal part of what nature or life hands us every day. There are many more examples of miracles throughout the Bible. Today, we have the Bible and the Holy Spirit who helps us to understand the words that are spoken in the Bible. Through the Spirit, we have faith or belief that Jesus was really here on this earth and that He will fulfill His promise of an eternal life in heaven for us one day.
Several years ago, my dryer quit and my neighbor let me use her clothes line to hang out my clothes. One morning early, I had a load I needed to hang on the line. The dew was still on the grass and the sun was shining so brilliantly. As I got to the line, I almost ran into a huge cobweb. Usually this would have “freaked” me out and I would have run screaming back into my house, but this time, there was no spider to be found. Whew! The sun and the dew were making the cobweb just shimmer! It amazed me at how intricate the cobweb was. In the movie my brother and I saw, there is a scene when the spider, Charlotte, is making a web. She weaves up and down and around in circles, hanging by a thread of the web. How in the world does a spider have that much “thread” in that little body? Is that a miracle? Well, the answer is no, it is an ordinary happening-just an ordinary miracle. A day to day reminder from God that He is who He says He is.
It is amazing the technology that we have today! We wonder at the 3D images of a baby in the womb. We can see their little noses, count how many fingers and toes they have, the sex of the child, sometimes they are even sucking their thumbs! How can people today say that this is not a living human being-an innocent child? Are the intricate details of a baby in the womb a miracle? No, it is one of those every day, ordinary miracles!
While visiting my daughter, whose husband is in the Navy, we went to the ocean. I remember the powerful waves coming into shore, but yet the sound of them is so calming. I could feel peace within the power. Is the fact that these waves come up onto the beach a miracle? No. God once again is showing His power and the peace we can find in every day happenings, ordinary miracles.
Have you ever thought about the seasons? How fall, winter, spring & summer are always in the same order? Is that a miracle? No, it is every year happening, an ordinary miracle. There are so many other examples I could give. But the point here is that God does not have to use miracles today like He did in Bible times to help the people believe in Him. We are blessed today to have the words in the Bible and all of the ordinary miracles of nature and life that we witness each and every day.
So, the next time you start taking the ordinary happenings of each day or the ordinary beauty of nature for granted, stop and remember who has given those things to you. Stop your hectic life for a moment, take a deep breath and remember who gave these ordinary miracles to you. Thank Him and remember He is always surrounding us with the proof of His existence. Psalm 143:5 reads “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your doings; I ponder the work of Your hands.” Believe, have faith, in His power to work in our lives by all of the ordinary miracles we experience in each moment of each day! And by the way, watch out for those cobwebs. But when you do see one, look at the intricate details of the web and marvel at the greatness of God! Thank you, God, for the ordinary “miracles” we see each day!
Till next time! Keela