Need a miracle?

"And He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief" (Mt 13:38).

In His hometown, the city of Nazareth, Jesus was not able to do many miracles. The reason: their unbelief. They knew Him as one of the carpenter's sons. They knew His family and His childhood. But they didn't believe that He was the Son of God, the Messiah.

Is the same thing happening in our lives? We see all the problems in our lives, yet we don't experience miracles. Disease, broken relationships, spiritual stagnation and wayward children. Those are all realities of our lives. And miracles are needed. God needs to get involved and bring about change.

Is unbelief the reason we don't experience the miracles we so desperately need?

Perhaps it's because our belief is the wrong place.

Biblical faith is not wishing for everything to go smoothly. Biblical faith is based on the Bible, the promises of God.

And this may be a surprise to you: there is no promise in the Bible that everything will go smoothly.

We live in a sin-cursed world. That means we have to experience disease and death. That means relationships will be broken. That means there will be problems.

So if we are putting our faith in a promise of smooth sailing, our faith is misplaced.

Instead, we need to dig into the Scriptures to see God's promises to us in these difficult days.

Health is not promised. But strength is. But resurrection is.

Restored relationships are not promised. But we can live at peace with others. But we can forgive as we have been forgiven.

We don't know if our health or relationships will be restored, but we can live in faith that God will work according to His Word.

Miracles? Really?

"And to the centurion Jesus said, 'Go, let it be done for your as you have believed.' And the servant was healed in that very moment" (Mt 8:12).

Jesus instructed and the centurion believed. A miracle took place.

How simple is that?

I often wish that these great miracles would happen in my life. Or at least in the lives of people around me. Instead of fighting this cold for the last week, Jesus could just heal it. Instead of living with broken relationships, Jesus could just speak and solve these problems. Instead of friends with cancer and broken bones, Jesus could give the command and they would be healed.

Looking at the miracles of physical healing distracts from the miracles that happen every day. The miracles that Jesus has done and continues to do in my life get derailed by "the big miracles."

Like salvation.

Jesus Christ, the eternal, holy Son of God, became a baby so that He could die on the cross. His death paid the penalty for all of my sins, which had separated me from the presence of a holy God.

By putting my trust in Christ's work on the cross as payment for the penalty for my sins, I have forgiveness from God. I have peace with God. I can anticipate eternity in His presence. No longer condemned, I am declared righteous. No longer guilty, I am free.

Not because of anything that I have done. But by God's grace.

So the centurion experienced a miracle that day. His servant was healed. But the servant probably got sick again. He eventually died. That miracle was great. But it was short-lived.

The miracle of salvation goes on into eternity. It's blessings are much greater than physical healing.

That's an amazing miracle.