The Hierarchy of Miracles

Last Monday, one of our Medical Site missionaries shared the story of a miracle.  A Haitian woman had come to see them with alarmingly high blood pressure.  The doctor had given her medicine, but fully expected to have to send her to the hospital. 

While they waited to see if the medicine had any effect, he invited the students serving with them, as well as a group of leaders who were touring the various sites, to pray. When he checked her pressure less than 30 minutes later, it had dropped – by more than 40!  The medicine I gave her could not have caused this.  It was prayer.  It was a miracle. 

The students present later shared that this one event was the most significant part of their two weeks here.  They not only witnessed, but participated in, a real life miracle!  All glory to God!!

This Monday, Daisy shared another story of a miracle.  It’s posted on our site blog, and I encourage you to read it in greater detail.  The short version is, one of the young women who has been coming to the Site for years, has recently been transforming from rebellious and demanding, into someone wanting to serve others and read her Bible. 

Unlike the first, this miracle has been slow coming, and there were many, many times we either wanted to kick her out, or just hoped she’d stop showing up.  Instead, Daisy’s patience and continuing tough love helped break through Clari’s bad attitude.

Both of these stories are miracles, possible only because God was at work.  In both, He moved through humans to accomplish His will.  Prayer is powerful and effective.  So, too, are patience and love.

But, how often do I crave only miracles of the first type?  How often do I dismiss miracles of the second?  How often do I think, well, the Holy Spirit moves over there, but not here?  That somehow there is a hierarchy, with certain classes of miracles being really and truly miraculous, while others are mundane and hardly took His work at all?

Stories like the first one are so clearly miraculous.  We all feel filled with the evidence of God’s power, and it feels great.  Stories like the second are often long years in the making.  There is no ‘snap shot’ to capture the change.  Clari still faces many challenges, and there will likely be setbacks. 

But, outside of the moving of the Holy Spirit, it was impossible.  Therefore, it was no less a miracle.

Jesus performed miracles, signs and wonders.  The sick were healed, the crippled walked, the blind received sight.  This was powerful proof of who He was, and of Who sent Him. 

Jesus also spent time with His disciples, teaching them, showing them the Father through His life.  The fact that this rather pathetic, doubting, grumbling group went on to transform the world through the power of the Holy Spirit is a miracle 2,000+ years in the making… and is still happening right now!

I am thankful for the many miracles I have witnessed in my time here.  Of both kinds.  As I get ready to go back to the United States, I want to be open to the miracles happening there, too. 

I pray that we would all have eyes opened to see the myriad of miracles surrounding us – and occurring in us.  Saying No to temptation, speaking words of love where we used to speak hate, standing up for what is right, even if it is unpopular, all of these are only possible through the Holy Spirit… which means they are miracles. 

Let’s give all glory to our miracle-working God, rejoicing in all circumstances, confident that where He is at work, the impossible will be possible.  Praying you witness that kind of miracle today!!