God, Miracles, and Faith

Christ is Risen

We’ve all done it. We sit quietly, sometimes loudly, in front of our icon or in the Church, begging God for a miracle. Occasionally miracles come, but mostly they don’t. Sometimes our faith is shaken. Sometimes our faith is strengthened. Sometimes we even flock to someone who is ‘known for’ performing miracles. Maybe, we think, someone else can give us our miracle.

All of this misses the point of miracles. Miracles are not for the faithful. They are to express God’s power SO THAT nonbelievers come to faith. If we already believe in God’s power, we shouldn’t be surprised when we don’t ‘get’ the miracle we want.

In those days, while the healed lame man clung to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s, astounded. And when Peter saw it he addressed the people, “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk? The God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And his name, by faith in his name, has made this man strong whom you see and know; and the faith which is through him has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.”

Acts 3.11-16

The miracle ‘performed by’ Saints Peter and John, wasn’t for their sake. It may have been for the paralyzed man’s sake. For sure it was for the crowd to witness the power and truth of Jesus Christ. The man wasn’t even requesting a miracle. He was merely begging for spare change. So, why the miracle?

The memory of Jesus Christ was still fresh in the minds of the people of Jerusalem. The miracle was God’s way of having them witness His power. By this time, many had believed in Christ. Still, many more did not. Through the miracles ‘performed by’ the Apostles thousands more came to faith, but it wasn’t faith in the Apostles.

The initial response of the crowd was to give credit to the Apostles, but they rebuked the credit. “Why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk.?” True faith gives God the credit for all things good.

We spend so much energy looking for miracles. We spend so much time flocking around ‘miracle workers’ as if they are the ones with power. The power comes from God, and if we already believe, we can stop searching for miracles.

Instead of looking for miracles, start living every day like you believe. Instead of searching for miracles, search your heart for sin, and remove it. Instead of flocking around ‘miracle workers’, gather in the Church for divine services. If you want to be an inspiration to bring others to faith, start living like you believe. You never know, maybe God will use you for a miracle SO THAT other may believe.