This will be a deep thinking three things. I think.
1. We saw something tonight that I have never seen in my life thus far and will likely never see again. God in His grace showed our family a full rainbow. A massive rainbow that started and ended its full arc within our eyesight. Not only that, but there were two of them. Two rainbows. And I was once again reminded that God always keeps His promises. Always.
2. I am confused about our reaction to miracles. As I read the Scriptures, it is apparent that miracles do not have the ability to change hearts. Instead, they amaze in the short term, but with time, they only create a want for more miracles. The Israelites watched God systematically destroy their captors, the most powerful nation on earth. And then God made food fall from the sky. And went before them in a cloud and fire. But it did not turns their hearts towards God.
The crowds that followed Jesus loved the miracles He did, but didn't understand Him (or the purpose of the miracles for that matter). They liked having their bellies filled with supernaturally created bread, but did not like the difficult demands of His teachings. Even healed lepers did not obey Jesus (Mark 1).
I am puzzled by this constant need in us for new fulfillment. I think about the modern day hullabaloo over the iPad. The websites and magazines praise its innovation and beauty. It is fabulously new and sheik. But wait six weeks. We will have had our fill of the greatness that is the iPad and start wondering what is next. The iPad will not seem as awesome as it does today.
I recognize that a miracle by the Creator of the universe and the iPad from Steve Jobs are not remotely comparable. But I think that the hunger in people has the same source. We were so damaged by the Fall and the indwelling sin that resulted that we always want more of bread that cannot satisfy. Our corrupted core desires the bread but not the Breadmaker. We will accept healing but reserve the right to disobey the Healer just a moment later.
Still chewing on this....and what to do about it....
3. Mrs. Underdog says that a lot of things are not permissible nor beneficial. She won't let me ram other rude drivers with our monster truck sized van. She won't let me try fruit before I buy it. And she says I can't get a Ferrari.
Even if I save my allowance for it.
Some pregnant people are just party poopers.
1 comment:
I want a Scaglietti. I'm going to have save much allowance (or sell many books) to even get on the waiting list. Or so says My brother.
Something you wrote here about miracles came pounding back to me today. I'm fine, it didn't hurt. Thanks for asking.
I would propose you're looking at the response to miracles through the context of religion. I had to go find the passage in Mark 16 that says "These things SHALL follow them that believe...."
As believers we're supposed to have these things follow us.
But you know what? Signs and miracles really aren't supposed to be for the believer. We're supposed to KNOW those things exist and happen. However, we get too tied up in the religious bandaid. Fix me now so I can keep doing what I've been doing.
We, as believers and disciples, are supposed to be the vessel God uses to WORK these miracles.
Signs and wonders were for the WORLD to know that HE exists. By the time the Israelites got to Jericho- the people were already trembling in fear of the people. Of their God.
That's what they're for now. Proof that He does exist. That He did conquer the powers of death.
There isn't much you can do about the nature of man. We are needy people - but what we can do is continue to prove that we Serve an ever loving, forever God who is powerful. Someone somewhere will be touched. It's just the way of it. It's really cool that we get to be in on it.
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