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Jesus Spotting
The passage in Luke 24:12 takes on a different meaning for me depending on the translation I look at. When the NIV version says “Peter went away to be alone, wondering what had happened,” that sounds like a struggle between faith and logic. Maybe Peter wondered if Jesus really rose from the dead, or if someone had just moved his body somehow. Other versions make it sound more like Peter was amazed — which would be more like a confirmation of faith.
Either way, this passage reminds me of my own inclination to logically rationalize whatever amazing things happen in life, rather than think of them as miracles. Don’t you wish Jesus would give us first hand evidence as blatant as his empty tomb and cloth to prove the truth of his miraculous existence? Yet, even if he did, I am sure a part of me would question whether he really rose again or if someone just moved his body. They call this stuff “faith” for a reason.
Although I am a constant rationalizer, things in daily life do give me inner confirmation in my belief in Jesus. Here are some personal “empty tomb” type places where I’ve seen glimpses of Jesus, though you might not agree (or even see the relation) in all of them:
in the dying eyes and words of my grandmother
in the shy embrace of young and nervous lovers
in the fight to view all equally and simply love each other
in the smiling face I see when greeted by my daughter
in the search for life beneath the ash of crumbling twin towers
in the blood that pools beneath a fallen soldier
in attempts to feed a baby by a starving mother
in the gay couple that’s crucified for loving one another
Here are some to add to your list:
When I pray to see Jesus and a gifted child smiles at me and keeps smiling at me til I see Him.
When a car cuts me off and I am not in an accident.
When someone comes into the store and says God sent me in here and told me to see Ellen.
When a customer is crying because she overhears a conversation and realizes that Christ is still working in this world.
When believers come to me and ask for prayer and I continuously see prayers answered.
When I see Him chiseling away the sin that is in my heart.
When He reveals Himself to me in scripture.
These are just a few. There are many more. But the biggest one is when He not only removes my sin but when He removes the guilt.
I would love to continue the list: of God’s daily miricals:
a person accepting Christ as personal savior
breathing air in and out of our lungs without thinking about it
Being able to study God”s word whenever I want
Praying whereever I want
Having a church home to grow in
Having friends across the ocean and can talk to or message any time I want
Greeks having Bibles dilivered to thier homes and people from Cumberland doing it
I think I do take alot of things that happen daily forgranted and forget that they are God’s doing. As I reflect on the empty tomb and what that means to me I am amazed and humbled that He chose me to be His child. He arose to provide us a way to live with Him, He has concored sin and provided grace for me to live and grow until He comes again or calls me home.
I think we all wonder like Peter, faith is what keeps us going……We have to know it is God that has the ultimate plan. I think miracles happen daily maybe our eyes are not open all the time.
Posted on my mirror in my bathroom a daily reminder….
When God is going to do something great He starts with difficulty. When He is going to do something TRULY MAGNIFICENT He starts with an impossibility!!!!!!!
My own miracle….
I have issues with torn cartilage in my knee. It has been bothering me for quite some time to the point that I had to walk with crutches to keep pressure off of it. I had an MRI and it showed anther piece that was torn adn “floating” making it difficule for my knee to benk. I scheduled surgery right away. Before my primary care doctor would give me a release form, she scheduled a complete physical. Normal stuff, blood tests, EKG, X-rays. That is when they found “it”. I tumor attached to my throat that was the size of a grapefruit that I did not know was there. I had to get that taken care of before my knee. I scheduled an appt with a surgeon and we decided that it was best to get the tumor out. I decided to have the testing (for cancer) and removal done on the same day. Within 24 hours, I found out I has a tumor and was scheduled for major surgery. The tumor was stuck to my throat and I was opened up to get it out. There was no cancer.
Miracles:
Finding it and not knowing it was there
It was not cancer
The surgery went fine
Here is the kicker – my knee no longer hurts.
Brannon,
I also tend to analyze everything. Was more that way in my younger years. What a pinhead Peter was. He didn’t believe Jesus’ promises. He didn’t believe the Marys who were just at the tomb. He had to see for himself and then go off to ponder what he saw. There are so many examples in the scriptures of Peter’s not-so-great character. Talk about a slow learner!! I’m so glad that Jesus loves us despite our many flaws.
Miracles? Or just the natural changes when I began to let Him fully into my heart, my life changed big time and I would like to add that to the above list.