Summer of Miracles

My Big Project for the summer five days away: a whole week of hosting a day camp for 5th-12th graders. For the last several weeks I’ve been buried in preparations for it and have not been tending to my writing. I am looking forward to sitting down at the computer again (almost) daily to sort through things I’m thinking about, but especially to “strengthen, encourage, and comfort” the people of Jesus’s Church. (1 Corinthians 14:3)

Tonight was the last women’s Bible study before a break for summer, and when we were closing I found myself praying that this would be a Summer of Miracles. Little miracles, bigger ones, and, frankly, GARGANTUAN, WORLD-CHANGING God-caused miracles. It’s time. Our world, our communities, our families, and our individual lives need a good dose of GOD-Infused HOPE as we see the “signs, wonders, and miracles” (Hebrews 2:4) that God can do. God parts the Red Sea to let his people pass on dry land. God feeds 5000 with a few loaves and fish. God brings the dead back to life. God does these miracles.

We get used to Bible stories about miracles, but probably don’t see too many dramatic ones in our daily life. Why not? Can God still do miracles today? Of course!! We have to pray for them, believe for them, and then watch God do them. Are we willing to be satisfied that the sick have un-healed bodies when Jesus showed us that God wants us to be healed and whole? Two of our pastors now have asked us whether we believe that Cindy, in a wheelchair with multiple sclerosis, and Ryan, in a wheelchair with cerebral palsy, can be healed – WILL be healed. Do we have a vision for them – and Jennifer, and Doloris, and Judy, and…. – to be healed in Jesus’s name?

Do we have faith and vision to see marriages healed? Prodigal children come back to faith?

Do we have faith and vision to see mended the relationships that have been torn apart by fear, distrust, betrayal, unforgiveness, or bitterness?

Do we have faith and vision that our God of Righteousness will truly “break the power of the wicked” (Psalm 37:17) and pour out well-deserved justice on wickedness?

Do we have faith and vision that God cares about the tiniest details in our lives, in addition to the Huge Things and the Medium-Sized-Regular-Life things? Can God really do these small, medium, and large miracles?

Of course.

God can.

God did and still does miracles.

So, I pray this will be a Summer of Miracles, for you, for me, for our communities, for our nation, and for our world.

God of Miracles,

We pray you would pour out your Spirit in our individual lives, our families, our communities, and our world so we see your miracles today. Make this a Summer of Miracles, let us see your signs and wonders as you pour healing, grace, mercy, and HOPE into this world. We believe and ask for this in Jesus’s name, AMEN.

“Salvation, spring up from the ground
Lord, rend the heavens and come down
Seek the lost and heal the lame
Jesus, bring glory to Your name

“Let all the prodigals run home
All of creation waits and groans
Lord, we’ve heard of Your great fame
Father, cause all to shout Your name

“Stir up our hearts, oh God
Open our spirits to awe who You are
Put a cry in us so deep inside
That we cannot find the words we need
We just weep and cry out to You*

_____________________________

“All my life, I’ve been carried by grace
Don’t ask me how ’cause I can’t explain
It’s nothing short of a miracle I’m here

“I’ve got some blessings that I don’t deserve
I’ve got some scars, but that’s how you learn
It’s nothing short of a miracle I’m here

“I think it over and it doesn’t add up
I know it comes from above

“You held me steady so I wouldn’t give up
You opened doors that nobody could shut
I hope I never get over what You’ve done

“I wanna live with an open heart
I wanna live like I know who You are
I hope I never get over what You’ve done

“It’s not coincidence and it’s not luck
I know it comes from above

“I’ve got miracles on miracles
A million little miracles
Miracles on miracles
Count your miracles
One, two, three, four, I can’t even count ’em all**

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Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down,
    that the mountains would tremble before you!
As when fire sets twigs ablaze
    and causes water to boil,
come down to make your name known to your enemies
    and cause the nations to quake before you! (Isaiah 64:1-2 NIV)