09/01/2022
Not being satisfied that God breathes life into us in our mother’s womb, mankind struggles to know how He makes life happen so that we might somehow consider ourselves to be more, and God to be less. Yet, for all our searching, and striving to be Him, we have been unable to put life into a single creature, much less ourselves. The nearest we have come is to manipulate God’s building blocks, but even so the life within them is His. As believers, are we satisfied with what God has physically made us to be, and are we willing partners in our spirituality; helping to make righteous the intangible character that He desires to perfect within us?
“As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.”
Ecclesiastes 11:5 ESV
In recent years scientists have recorded a flash of light at the instant an egg is fertilized, but rather than asking themselves if this is the spark of life that indicates God’s presence, they are blind to this possibility, and look instead for some physical manifestation of the light. So, not knowing how, or why this occurs, they simply say that at this moment the egg expels much of its zinc… as if that is the answer, and not just paste of the question. Being believers in God, and Jesus Christ, we know the author of life, and that God is light…
“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”
1 John 1:5 ESV
I say all of this to remind us that when miracles occur, or God speaks to us, we should not fall into the trap of trying to automatically explain it away by what we can see, and the things we understand. God uses physical as well as spiritual means to speak to us, but when we use our understanding of the physical to discount the spiritual then we are separating ourselves from God. Our spirit, and God’s Word, should be the primary tools we employ in discerning what is of Him. Just because something has a physical attribute to it this does not prove that is not of God. Oftentimes the spiritual can appear to be physical…
“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”
Hebrews 13:2 ESV
A few years ago a priest pulled a man out of a burning car, and then disappeared. The rescued man said that an angel had saved him, and the press picked up on his claim. But a few days later the priest came forward. When he did, the press printed a retraction saying that he was no angel after all. Their retraction negated all the circumstances that occurred which had placed that priest there at the scene of the accident, at just the right time, and with the courage to save this man. I once listened as a pastor preached “Sometimes God needs to have skin on him.” Has he ever used you to help another, to perform something that someone else viewed as a miracle? Have you ever been the recipient of such an angelic intercession in your life? Think on this today, and ask yourself if you immediately seek to negate the amazing spiritual acts in your life.
Prayer:
Father, thank you for our lives, and giving us peace in our creation so that we can lean not on our own understanding but simply on you; so that in this way we can bring glorify to you. Let us glorify you Lord by being your grateful creation, your spiritual instruments, your angels, and the righteous souls you would have us be. Father, teach us to look for you first in every event in our lives; the good, bad, miracles, and storms. Help us to discern what is of you, and separate those things from the products of world. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who brings forth life in the miracle of conception. Praised be your name for every flash of light that is emitted at the moment you breathe life into us, and for every time one if your angels strengthens, or helps us. Merciful are you who uses us to be the miracle in another’s life, or when you send a heavenly angel to help in our own time of need. Your grace is extended to us despite our undeserving nature, and your spiritual wonders, and miracles, are worked through us… even when we are not pure, worthy, or believers. All things are yours, and we thank you for using them to work good in the lives of those who believe. Wash us in the blood of your Son Jesus Christ, and cleanse us of every sin. Transform us into the image of Jesus, and see only him as you examine us on the day of judgement. Count as righteous the help, and miracles you have worked through us; even those we have committed in unawares, or that we performed reluctantly. Make perfect our faith by your grace as you pour out your love over us. Forgive us for the times we looked for excuses not to believe in your good works, as we sought to make them the products of the world, or of us. Hear now this prayer of contrition, and separate our sins from us. See the good, and the righteous only, and call us your eternal children.
Rich Forbes