Today we started Chapter 3 of Galatians where Paul really starts ripping into them, claiming that they have abandoned the Gospel after such a good start. Along the way he says something very interesting: "Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you have followed the (Jewish) Law?"
Work miracles. When Paul talks about miracles I don't think he has the same thing in mind as my pastor when he says he has seen miracles. What Pastor has in mind is changed lives. But the New Testament is very clear that there were some pretty extraordinary things going on in those early churches. Things that I think everyone can agree are real first-class miracles.
So I am wondering, have we set the standard too low when it comes to miracles? Because it does very much depend on what you call a miracle whether miracles are common or not. Now I am of the opinion that most so-called miracles really aren't and that the word has been cheapened to be almost meaningless.
Then there are the people who just seem to be showered with miracles--the real, spectacular kind--every time they turn around. There was one woman I acted with recently who is one such. First, she herself had had a near-death experience as a result of an accident. Then her husband was diagnosed with end-stage cancer. Doctors had no hope. But she got the prayer group all a-praying and voila! no more cancer! And on and on it went. The only thing that made it halfway bearable to listen to was that she at least was not "boastful" like some I've known. But I got to thinking--can any of these things be verified? Not the near-death experience but if she was in an accident at a particular place and on a particular date which was so serious she almost died (or actually was dead, in her words) there should be SOME record of it. It would have made the news: Woman, age XX, seriously injured in accident on highway XXX. If I went looking, would I find anything for that date? The same with the husband's cancer. I realize medical records are private--but why is it that nobody offers any verification for these things? And of course it is considered ill-mannered to bring such a thing up.
Writer Madeleine L'Engle wrote about how she felt hearing her friends about all kinds of answered prayers when her husband was dying of cancer and I totally understand. Why are some people apparently healed and others not? I used to want to slap people who went around talking of miracles. Now I feel sorry for them. Because if they are unwilling to present evidence to back up their case then how do I know they are telling the truth? Because that's another thing that's considered ill-mannered to bring up. You aren't supposed to question such stories.
Well I can tell you that if a true-blue miracle happened to me you'd better believe I'd be really to supply proof. I wouldn't just talk about it. In fact, there is a sort of "miracle" or "sign" that I am waiting for. I can't say what it is because I want to be darn sure that this is from some supernatural source and not because someone has read it somewhere or heard me say it. It concerns something very specific about something which happened to me when I was alone. Something that on the surface would sound trivial. But I want to hear--from someone else's lips--what it is and what it means. I repeat, there is no normal way on earth that anyone could get this knowledge. It would have to involve the supernatural or paranormal or whatever.
However, I have been told that I am asking way too much and putting conditions on God and that according to the Bible is wrong. That what is written in the Bible should be enough. After all it is good enough for the majority of believers so who am I to reject it? Perhaps, but I am still waiting and I will continue to wait.
Work miracles. When Paul talks about miracles I don't think he has the same thing in mind as my pastor when he says he has seen miracles. What Pastor has in mind is changed lives. But the New Testament is very clear that there were some pretty extraordinary things going on in those early churches. Things that I think everyone can agree are real first-class miracles.
So I am wondering, have we set the standard too low when it comes to miracles? Because it does very much depend on what you call a miracle whether miracles are common or not. Now I am of the opinion that most so-called miracles really aren't and that the word has been cheapened to be almost meaningless.
Then there are the people who just seem to be showered with miracles--the real, spectacular kind--every time they turn around. There was one woman I acted with recently who is one such. First, she herself had had a near-death experience as a result of an accident. Then her husband was diagnosed with end-stage cancer. Doctors had no hope. But she got the prayer group all a-praying and voila! no more cancer! And on and on it went. The only thing that made it halfway bearable to listen to was that she at least was not "boastful" like some I've known. But I got to thinking--can any of these things be verified? Not the near-death experience but if she was in an accident at a particular place and on a particular date which was so serious she almost died (or actually was dead, in her words) there should be SOME record of it. It would have made the news: Woman, age XX, seriously injured in accident on highway XXX. If I went looking, would I find anything for that date? The same with the husband's cancer. I realize medical records are private--but why is it that nobody offers any verification for these things? And of course it is considered ill-mannered to bring such a thing up.
Writer Madeleine L'Engle wrote about how she felt hearing her friends about all kinds of answered prayers when her husband was dying of cancer and I totally understand. Why are some people apparently healed and others not? I used to want to slap people who went around talking of miracles. Now I feel sorry for them. Because if they are unwilling to present evidence to back up their case then how do I know they are telling the truth? Because that's another thing that's considered ill-mannered to bring up. You aren't supposed to question such stories.
Well I can tell you that if a true-blue miracle happened to me you'd better believe I'd be really to supply proof. I wouldn't just talk about it. In fact, there is a sort of "miracle" or "sign" that I am waiting for. I can't say what it is because I want to be darn sure that this is from some supernatural source and not because someone has read it somewhere or heard me say it. It concerns something very specific about something which happened to me when I was alone. Something that on the surface would sound trivial. But I want to hear--from someone else's lips--what it is and what it means. I repeat, there is no normal way on earth that anyone could get this knowledge. It would have to involve the supernatural or paranormal or whatever.
However, I have been told that I am asking way too much and putting conditions on God and that according to the Bible is wrong. That what is written in the Bible should be enough. After all it is good enough for the majority of believers so who am I to reject it? Perhaps, but I am still waiting and I will continue to wait.
