A Miracle, or Random Phenomenon?

Do you believe God still performs miracles? If you worked where I work, there would be no doubt in your mind.

In the 3ABN Pastoral Department we receive calls from apprehensive and fearful people. We pray together and give them a promise from God’s Word to which they may cling. We post their prayer request to our 3ABN Prayer Warriors from around the world. And we stand amazed at how God responds. It isn’t that our prayers have more power than others, it’s the mere fact that people are uniting in prayer to come before our loving Lord’s throne of grace—seeking His mercy and help.

Often within weeks—or even days—we’ll receive a follow-up call from the person who was previously so troubled. They call to praise God for answered prayers. Some of God’s remedies are bona fide, jaw-dropping miracles. He knows the end from the beginning, and when a miracle of His making is best for the recipient. All glory and honor belong to God!

How can we know a miracle is a “miracle” and not just a random phenomenon? When something happens that is logically and scientifically impossible, Christians believe it is an act of God—the same Creator God who spoke and created something out of nothing. Of course, believers accept the Creation account of our world in Genesis 1 by faith in God’s Word. We weren’t around to see it. But how about the opposite, when there was something and now there is nothing?

Theresa had been calling for prayer support for several years. She had a number of health issues, but her trust in God was unquestioning. Then one day, she called with a new prayer request. “They just discovered I have five tumors on one of my organs, she said. “The doctor showed me the X-rays, and they are clearly defined. But he believes they are benign, and because of my other major health issues, he feels we should avoid surgery for now. He just wants to keep an eye on them and said we’ll take action if they become critical. Can you please pray that God will shrink or remove these tumors from my body? I have faith He is able to remove them.”

However, from one doctor’s appointment to the next, X-ray after X-ray mocked her faith—the tumors were still there.

One day, a friend came to visit in her home. Theresa had tried on multiple occasions to tell him about the loving God she knew, but her friend would have none of it—he didn’t believe in God. Still, Theresa was not going to give up on sharing her conviction.

“What will it take for you to believe there is a God?”

“For your tumors to disappear,” he replied without hesitation.

Theresa prayed silently in her mind. Lord, my friend is challenging You. I believe You can show him it is possible for You to make something be nothing. Please, Lord, defend Your glory.

A month later, Theresa returned for another X-ray. The doctor entered the room with the film in hand. His expression was somber, and he sat for a moment in silence. Theresa watched him intently, not knowing how to interpret his strange mood. What would his report be? she wondered.

“I don’t know how to tell you this,” the doctor began haltingly, “but your tumors have disappeared. I can’t explain it. They were most definitely there before, but now they are gone.”

Theresa called our department to share the amazing news. She also mentioned her friend happened to drop by her home again the following day. After a few minutes of normal chit-chat, she shared the doctor’s recent report. Naturally, our staff member celebrated God’s goodness with her, but couldn’t help but ask how her friend reacted.

“He sat there with a blank expression and said nothing,” she answered. “But what could he say? He had challenged the Lord, and God accepted the challenge. Now my well-documented tumors have disappeared. Glory to God!”

Her doctor knew this was more than a random phenomenon. Her friend knew, as well. And Theresa appropriately labeled it a “miracle of God.” The Lord didn’t heal her of all her health issues, but He met her friend’s challenge with a miracle.

I believe God responded to this situation in the way He did to arrest her friend’s attention and draw him near to Him. That’s how much He cares about each and every person on our earth.

God doesn’t always answer our prayers with a bona fide miracle, but that doesn’t mean He isn’t responding.

Often, He uses others to be His hands and feet, and deliver relief.

As we stand back and consider the outcome, we can always trace His hand of powerful assistance and His heart of love and comfort.

Sometimes His answer to our prayers is not exactly what we’re asking for, but He knows what is best for us.

He knows the end from the beginning. We just have to trust Him. To me, the biggest miracle in the world is to know how much He loves us.