The word miracle gets tossed around way too freely and thoughtlessly in
this God-believer's opinion. I do believe in miracles if by that is meant
concrete examples of the divine touching the mundane in order to make an
impression. Too many personal experiences for me not to believe. Oh, not the
Charlton Heston playing Moses and parting the Red Sea in grand fashion like in
the movie The Ten Commandments type of miracle - but some things just seem too
coincidental to be mere coincidence. That's what I mean by
miraculous.
Take this story about 14-year-old John Smith, who was rescued from the
bone-chilling waters of Lake St. Louise after more than fifteen minutes of
submersion.
Doctors said he had no heartbeat for 45 minutes and called in his mom for
her to say good-bye. Dr. Nancy Bauer said "He was gone; I've never felt someone
so cold in my life." But instead of saying bye John's mom started to pray. And
shortly thereafter, according to Dr. Bauer, his heart was beating again, giving
her a case of the goosebumps.
And now John Smith is heading home! He feels the only explanation is God
and that God wanted him to live.
Okay, this isn't the first or only time a person submerged in icy water is
revived without brain damage. Not a miracle you think? But the timing - right
after a mother's heartfelt prayer - surely is "miraculous" enough that some take
it as a sign.
I once told the story on my previous blog of how my late older brother was
diagnosed with leukemia as an infant, way before I was born. My parents were
crushed and began at once to pray for his life. The next day the astounded
doctors told my parents there was obviously a mistake and my brother didn't
have leukemia and a death sentence.
At the time I related that, as a pantheist, I was inclined to write it off
as a simple misdiagnosis. Perhaps it was. Perhaps not. But one thing is for
sure, my parents didn't think it was a mistake. They felt God had answered their
prayers. Either way - mistake or miracle - the impression made lasted a
lifetime, and neither doubted the value of prayer thereafter.
As I wrote earlier, too many personal experiences have convinced me that
God is in the details. The experiences of others impress me as well. For a time
I allowed myself to forget. Life itself is a miracle and is filled with
miracles, I believe, if we have a heart to understand.
Yeah, I agree. Millions of healing miracles have been claimed (one estimate based on surveys is for 300 million people have seen or experienced a miracles after prayer to the christian God - I have no ideas of the number of claims from other believers). It's hard to believe every last one of them is mistaken, and no-one could claim to have evidence for that.
ReplyDeleteThanks as always for stopping by. I had forgotten how much of God I saw in daily life. I had forgotten because I had been convinced - or maybe mostly convinced - that such things couldn't be. As you suggest, can we believe every last miracle story is a mistake? I think not.
DeleteIf God makes miracles then he picks and chooses in a spiteful way.
ReplyDeleteWhy so few, God??
Millions pray for you to bless THEM--such arrogance.