No, this is not a post about Sly Stone’s song. 🙂 I couldn’t sleep last night (Sunday). It had been a really long weekend with attending a wedding out of town on Saturday (3 hour drive one way); then getting up early to finish preparing myself for the morning; then visiting with some long-time friends who came to worship and eat lunch with us; then spending a couple hours at the new building property; then going to the office to study; then attending a concert on the town square and while there having some intense spiritual discussions with new friends. Along with that came what I believe was some spiritual warfare that had me getting back up once I was already in bed. I read my Bible and prayed and began reading a book that I just bought. Just from reading the Introduction I think I am going to like reading this one. Here is something he said that really struck me:
Sometimes God works miracles. Occasionally, he sends an angel. Normally, though, he administers grace through everyday people.
Am I wrong in that probably all of us have hoped for a miracle of some kind? A healed family. A healed marriage. A healed mind. A healed body. A healed relationship. A healed church. Two weeks ago I sat in worship and listened to a young man who, by all intents and purposes, should be dead because of injuries sustained in a car accident. Among his many injuries, he had a “slice” in his descending aorta from which a person normally dies within 5 minutes. He lived over 4 hours before they were able to diagnose it and begin emergency surgery. I was staring at a standing & walking miracle. Yes, I said standing and walking. Oh, I didn’t tell you his pelvis was absolutely crushed and they weaved it together? The x-ray sort of looked like pop can tabs that are woven together. Peter is a miracle. He sees it as an opportunity to fulfill God’s call on his life (but he isn’t sure just yet what that is). Sometimes God sends an angel with some money that you needed at just the right time. Or that unseen hand that saved you when in an accident. But most of the time God just uses people-like you and me-to do His work.
But you know what is sad? We are so busy looking for the “big miracle” that we often miss the little ones that happen every day. Take, for example, what Michelle found out here. Imagine missing that because you were looking for the “big one.” The Bible is a book filled with stories of everyday people-like you and me. People who stumble and fall. People who laugh and cry. People who want to quit. People who get back up. Everyday people who minister because as the saying goes: “It is not about us; it is about God.”
There are so many questions I could ask here. Are you looking for the “big one” and missing out on God’s daily miracles? Have you been the recipient of a miracle? Has your life been touched by an everyday person? If you can answer any of these questions, I would love to hear from you. So would others who could benefit from your story.
I agree 100% We often look for the big miracle and miss out on the everyday ones.
Ethan has been visiting my parents for the last two weeks. I had no clue how he displays the miraculous everyday in my home, until he wasn’t there. I admit that I have taken some of the everyday things for granted and should not of.
Great/convicting reminder today Bill.
WOW! Two weeks. Either you will see him and be really really homesick or the grandparents will be worn out. 🙂 That is so cool that you and April do that (speaking from a grandparent’s point of view). Sometime takes little children to remind us of what we miss. Thanks for the comment Michael.
Trying real hard not to pigeon hole how God works in our lives, whether it’s through the mundane or the miraculous (big or small). It is enough to know God is at work and to be watchful for His Hand.
Thank you for the reminder!
heh, the answer to your first question is: way too often.
as someone who loves macro photography, i have learned over time to look at the small details. i am a perfectionist every once in a while therefore details matter to me. and also a “hobby” of mine is to find something that people don’t usually notice. not sure when it started, but it definitely is fun to see something and then share it with friends *shrug*
but more to the point, most of the time it was ordinary people who did not make much of themselves that made the biggest impact on my life. maybe nothing “miraculous” in big sense of that word, yet “impactful.” i already shared on my blog about our missionaries and how it was their humility and servants’ hearts that affected me and wanted me to follow Christ even more and to learn from Him how to be like my friends… i have been blessed by so many people in my life that i knew were used by God (even when they did not suspect it!) and if i start to name all names, the comment would be REALLY long 😀
Thanks Dusty. Love the way you put it.
Zee: I suspect if we all took the time to write a list down we could go on and on. My list would seem endless even as I think about it right now. I take it macro photography is looking for the minute details and focusing on them? Enlighten this non-photographic person. 🙂
Bill: macro photography is basically a close-up photo… i’m random with my photography – it’s either sky (which is huge and i just love watching it) or something tiny (even if it’s my cat’s paw or a tiny little bug or spikes on my cactus)… 🙂
re: list – someone once told me (or i’ve read it… not sure where the idea came from, to be honest) that a good way to fall asleep is instead of counting sheep or elephants or whatnot, try counting the blessings of the day that just passed. most of the times, even if it has taken me 20 minutes or more to fall asleep, i could never run out of the blessings to count – there were simply WAY TOO MANY if one “stops and counts all the blessings” 🙂
Zee: gotcha on the photog. About the list: heard that. I usually don’t have trouble falling asleep after a long day. I am inclined to believe it was related to spiritual warfare. Thanks for the suggestion.
Bill: related to spiritual warfare?
Zee: although i don’t believe in a demon behind every door or under every rock, I do believe in the enemy playing havoc with my inner man.
Hey Bill,
I called a friend of mine today and told her I was struggling..I am in phase in my Christian walk where I am resting in Him. THere isn’t much happening, no attacks, no huge miracles..its been so crazy for the past year that the quiet restfulness seems almost wrong, like maybe God isnt’ working. This post was a great reminder for me to look for Him in the ordinary quiet days and everyday people..thanks Bill
I don’t have to look for the “big one”…..the Lord took this dead sinner,(me), and raised him from the dead.
There is an everyday person I am blessed to know. She has a Christlike attitude even in the midst of losing her job recently. She’s likely never going to be a keynote speaker at a Catalyst Conference. But she showed me the right perspective to have today. Beats any “big one” any day.
Thanks for your post. Got me thinking.
Julie:isn’t it crazy that we often struggle when we aren’t in real life? Praying for your time right now.
Ike: not that you need it but a 100% approval stamp on your comment.
Scott: must be a special person. Sad that so many will miss out on people like your friend due to closed eyes. Thanks for the comment.
Great post and loved Michelle’s post. I do find that the evil one does throw things at me when I am weary. Funny how I missed this yesterday and God was speaking similarly to me this morning!
Tom: better late than never! LOL. Perhaps you were supposed to miss this until today. 🙂 Thanks for visiting.
You are probably right!Reminder of a comment I heard in a recovery group where a gentleman in recovery for sexual addictions says he kept waiting for a big miracle to stop him. God kept sending him “ordinary” people as life preservers. He says he was up to his neck in life preservers before it occurred to him these ordinary people were God’s solution!
Tom: 😀 so true!
Awesome thoughts bro’
I consider my life to be full of miracles, form meeting my wife to my seven children. The greatest? When the Lord rescued me…from me!
Hey Jay! nice to see you here. Have seen your name elsewhere. Thanks for commenting. 7 children? WOW! it is a miracle you are still able to function. You must have an awesome wife to keep things in line. 🙂 will check out your blog.