Miraculous Joy!

Today’s Reading: Acts 3:9-10 (NIV)

9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Good morning!

What is a miracle to you? Webster’s online dictionary defines miracle as an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural source; such an effect or event manifesting or considered as a work of God; a wonder; a marvel! Based upon Webster’s definition, I would say that the invalid who was healed at the Beautiful Gate that day was the recipient of an amazing miracle. What do you think?

Miracles come in all kinds of packaging. We sometimes overlook the little miracles of life, because we’re simply too busy to see them. The birds begin to sing long before the sun rises each day. Their melodies proclaim that wonder of new life. Is this not a miracle in the making? We wake up hearing the birds chirping, as we breathe in and out. Is this not a major miracle? Whose breath is it anyway? God breathed His breath of life into the nostrils of the first Adam, and Jesus Christ, the second Adam, breathes His breath of life into each of us through the power of the Holy Spirit. How often do you consciously think about breathing? How many times a day do you breathe in and out and remember to thank God for His holy breath in your life?

We miss seeing the miracles, until one miracle captures our undivided attention. The people couldn’t help but notice the man in the temple courtyards, walking and jumping and praising the Lord! They recognized him. Wasn’t he the crippled one sitting at the gate begging each day? Look at his feet – how they support him now! Look at his hands high in the air! We can sense his excitement and we are caught up in his amazing miracle. Who has the power to heal our every infirmity? Is it not the One who breathes His breath into our nostrils every day?

Sometimes, we receive a miracle and forget to say thank you. We don’t know whether the invalid healed was a Jew or Gentile. We do not know whether he knew the risen Christ before Christ healed him through the words of Peter. What we do know is this man did not hesitate to thank and praise the Lord for the miracles in his life. No monetary gift could have compared to the gift of healing and wholeness this man received. Do we forget to tell God thank you for the miracles in our lives? Do you have a grateful heart for the life you have been given?

Come and worship the Lord with me today. Let us praise Him together for the miracles of breath and life and love. He gives us so very much to be thankful for. Help us, Lord, to recognize the miracles You give and to praise You with exuberant joy each morning! Your miraculous love is truly contagious as we share our joys together through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen!

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

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