Do you remember the first time you heard the story of Noah's Ark? Or how about the tale of Moses freeing the Israelites from slavery in Egypt? For me, although these stories are memorable, and have often caused my imagination to take me to another time, the passages that have most fascinated me and drawn me to a place of wonder are those about miracles, signs, and spiritual gifts. Throughout Scripture, we see God at work in supernatural ways, and my favorite "go to" is the raising of Lazarus from the dead in John 11. Not only does it shed light on the character and humanity of Jesus, but it also demonstrates His Oneness with God the Father, His divinity. He brought a DEAD MAN back to life! How can you NOT be captivated by that?! And then later, in Acts 2, following Pentecost (or the Holy Spirit coming upon the believers), they spoke in tongues/languages not their own and throughout the rest of Acts, we see the disciples witnessing to others throughout the world performing signs and miracles, just as they had seen Jesus do! WOAH, let's pause for a second…
While growing up in both Episcopalian and Lutheran church settings, these things weren't emphasized. In fact, talk of them outside of a historical-Biblical context just didn't happen. People get weird when you talk about casting out demons or laying hands on people in prayer of healing, or yikes, raising the dead? Holy crap, that's just a little too much to handle. But WHY?! If we know God is timeless and never changes, and we follow Jesus, and He told us He would equip us with the power of the Holy Spirit, and we BELIEVE that, than why is it so stinkin' hard to fathom that God would work in such ways today? Through my own study of scripture, as well as college classes and conversations with friends, I've often wondered what we, as westernized Christians, are missing out on by downplaying the power that we have in Christ as followers filled with the Holy Spirit. Why aren't we seeing and expecting God to move in the way of miracles – the blind coming to sight and the lame beginning to walk?! What IS speaking in tongues and why does it make me so uncomfortable? Why do so many of our walks with Christ lack the intimacy of true relationship, real spiritual transformation, real peace, and real power to boldly change the world for His kingdom? Why do we put Him in a box and what are we SO afraid of?!
As I venture into the world for the next 11 months, I am EXPECTING God to show up, to move, to reconcile the disconnect between what many churches would deem as irrelevant in present times, or even impossible, and what I KNOW our God is capable of! Dear friends, our God is far greater and more radical than we make Him out to be and I encourage you to ask Him to reveal just how big He really is. I promise, He WANTS to show you! And He doesn't need you to go on the World Race to do it! He wants to meet you RIGHT where you are!
*Lord, I want to be Your hands and feet! I want to clothe the poor, feed the hungry, help the widows, and hug the orphaned. I want to meet tangible basic needs like providing clean water and building shelter. I want to see You free those who are enslaved and forced into prostitution. I want to carry out my life as a witness, one who has SEEN the great works of Your hands, especially in the way of miracles and signs, big and small. I want Your power to HEAL through my hands and SPEAK TRUTH through my voice and bring COMFORT through my embrace, that YOU would be known and glorified in ALL these things! Please give me the courage to boldly step out in faith and proclaim YOU and your goodness and faithfulness through every interaction!
Amen : )
