EVERYDAY MIRACLES
NOTE FROM BARNEY: Although this is a very difficult time for me, I’m doing okay—better than I thought I would—but I certainly experience some dark times. I don’t think I could make it without all of your prayers. I feel blessed in so many ways: I’m surrounded by my family, friends and God’s presence. Here’s this week’s bullet:
Every day we witness little miracles. If you’re a “word-nerd,” I realize technically a miracle is an “extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers.”
But Dictionary.com also provides a second definition: “such an effect or event manifesting or considered as a work of God.” That takes in all the little miracles we witness every day—“works of God.” If you doubt that, let me share a few “little miracles” I’ve experienced recently.
A few weeks ago, as I scrolled through the pictures on my phone, I came across my favorite photo of Linda. I thought, “I wish that was my screen-saver.” As a technophobe, I’m not sure how to change it, so I moved on. The next day, that picture “appeared” as my screen-saver, and has stayed there. There were only two people who knew my secret wish—Jesus and me. Since I didn’t change it, I’ll leave it to you to figure out who did. I still tear up when I think of how that tiny miracle has blessed my life.
A second everyday miracle occurred when I met with the Hospice chaplain. As we conversed, he asked me to share about Linda’s life. I mentioned that she had joined me on several mission trips—India, Kenya, and the Philippines. When I said “Philippines,” his face lit up. He told me he was Filipino, and asked what cities I had visited. I named three places, and he stopped me. One of the cities was his home town. I grabbed the photo album, and immediately, he recognized several people and told me their names. They all matched! What are the odds of me visiting his hometown, and discovering that we just “happened” to know the same people, as we sat on my deck in Santa Rosa, California? I call that “an event considered as a work of God.”
In the midst of Linda’s decline, we had to put our dog, Chloe, down. One of Linda’s dreams was to own a French Bulldog. Before she passed, a friend stopped by with her dog. Care to guess the breed? She said she could connect us with the breeder who lived in a small town in Oregon, which just “happened” to be where our friends Dan & Wendi live. We called, and Tiff and Olive jumped in the truck and headed up. Turns out the breeder’s sister lives directly across from Dan & Wendi! Another little everyday miracle.
These aren’t supernatural events, like parting the Red Sea or walking on water, but these small acts made a huge difference in my life, and Linda’s. They are kisses from God. Ways he showed me, “I’m here, I see what you’re going through, and I’m with you.” Let’s open our eyes and hearts to events around us. Don’t miss God’s little everyday miracles.
Principle: Every day, God furnishes us with reminders that he is present in our lives.
Ponder:
When have you experienced one of God’s everyday miracles?
How did it impact your life?
Pursue: For a deeper dive, study scriptures related to God’s presence in our lives, such as Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5-6 and Isaiah 43:1-5.
Prayer: “Lord God, we may not need huge supernatural events to convince us of your reality. Thank you for your little everyday miracles which demonstrate your presence with us.