Naturally Supernatural
16/04/07 12:25
I still
believe in miracles. In fact, I am involved in them
almost every day. I experienced one two days ago. I
made plans to meet my sister and brother-in-law last
Friday to surprise her for her birthday. I had a
sense that this was going to be a really special
night, and I prayed that God would bless it and help
everything to work together towards this purpose. I
also felt that God's affirmation was with me in this
desire and prayer. Right before my fiancee and I were
going to leave to meet my sister and her husband that
night, something came up and we ended-up leaving
late. I felt really disappointed that we were going
to miss surprising her... - beyond just 'that's too
bad', because I really believed that this was going
to be a meaningful time. When we finally arrived at
the park where we had planned to meet them, my
fiancee and I couldn't find my sister and bro-in-law
anywhere. Finally, he ended-up calling me and telling
me he had moved to another location. Long and short
of it is that when we found them and walked up to
them, we still somehow managed to totally surprise my
sister - and she was overwhelmed to the point of
tears.
Is that just a silly little, insignificant story? Is what happened mere coincidence? Or does it not count as a miracle because I partially know how it happened (by my brother-in-law somehow managing to stall my sister by walking around the park)? I don't think so... - for two reasons. First of all, I had essentially lost hope in the fact that we would at all be able to surprise my sister that night, and yet earlier I had specifically prayed asking and trusting God to work things out. Beyond coincidence, the events that unfolded seemed like a specific answer to my prayer - despite the fact that I thought it was 'done and over with'. Secondly, I think the fact that we know how a God-initiated miracle works doesn't diminish its miraculous nature. A miracle is a miracle because God works things together to do something that we didn't think was possible. When God first put a rainbow in the sky as a sign to remind Noah and his family that He would never destroy Earth with a flood again, it was a miracle to them. They must have just wondered at it. Today, we know that a rainbow is simply rays of light being diffracted by moisture particles in the air. And yet, we still stop, stare, and wonder at rainbows. They are no less of a miracle, even though we know how they work. Perhaps God-ordained miracles are actually even more wondrous when we understand how they happen.
This leads me into two directions in regards to the supernatural. First of all, I am recognizing that as a Christian, I can be 'naturally supernatural'. I should expect to see miracles all the time, and I should ask for them... - because that's the nature of my God. He's supernatural. No, God isn't going to adjust every birthday party schedule for me - just like Jesus didn't go around walking across every lake, or calming every storm. (Have you ever thought about that?! If Jesus could walk on water, why did He ever use boats at all? Wouldn't it be faster just to jog across the lake?!!). It seems God has specifically ordained natural laws, actions and reactions, for a reason. They generally need to stay in place. But natural laws are not God's limiting factor. He is the Creator of them, and is above them. So if those laws contradict His will - i.e. if He's got to get across a lake and a storm's in the way - then those 'laws', or the liquid character of water and the raging storm, those need to change. I think the same goes for us. God isn't our 'supernatural vending machine' that does whatever we want. But He is a miracle-maker who loves us and loves to respond supernaturally when we are moving in Hiss direction.
Secondly, having come to partly understand some of God's miracles, I have a huge hunger for science. Many of the things that were once considered 'supernatural' can now be explained naturally. Maybe one day we'll be able to understand the biology and physics behind how Jesus spitting and putting mud in a guy's eyes healed his blindness. Maybe one day we'll make breakthrus in physics, understand new dimensions, and be able to 'see' into the spiritual realm that is around us everyday (i.e. 'dark matter', string theory, ...?!!). That won't change the fact that the works of God are miracles, it just means we'll be able to marvel and glorify Him even more for what He does.
(Also posted at www.urbanbridgechurch.com)
Is that just a silly little, insignificant story? Is what happened mere coincidence? Or does it not count as a miracle because I partially know how it happened (by my brother-in-law somehow managing to stall my sister by walking around the park)? I don't think so... - for two reasons. First of all, I had essentially lost hope in the fact that we would at all be able to surprise my sister that night, and yet earlier I had specifically prayed asking and trusting God to work things out. Beyond coincidence, the events that unfolded seemed like a specific answer to my prayer - despite the fact that I thought it was 'done and over with'. Secondly, I think the fact that we know how a God-initiated miracle works doesn't diminish its miraculous nature. A miracle is a miracle because God works things together to do something that we didn't think was possible. When God first put a rainbow in the sky as a sign to remind Noah and his family that He would never destroy Earth with a flood again, it was a miracle to them. They must have just wondered at it. Today, we know that a rainbow is simply rays of light being diffracted by moisture particles in the air. And yet, we still stop, stare, and wonder at rainbows. They are no less of a miracle, even though we know how they work. Perhaps God-ordained miracles are actually even more wondrous when we understand how they happen.
This leads me into two directions in regards to the supernatural. First of all, I am recognizing that as a Christian, I can be 'naturally supernatural'. I should expect to see miracles all the time, and I should ask for them... - because that's the nature of my God. He's supernatural. No, God isn't going to adjust every birthday party schedule for me - just like Jesus didn't go around walking across every lake, or calming every storm. (Have you ever thought about that?! If Jesus could walk on water, why did He ever use boats at all? Wouldn't it be faster just to jog across the lake?!!). It seems God has specifically ordained natural laws, actions and reactions, for a reason. They generally need to stay in place. But natural laws are not God's limiting factor. He is the Creator of them, and is above them. So if those laws contradict His will - i.e. if He's got to get across a lake and a storm's in the way - then those 'laws', or the liquid character of water and the raging storm, those need to change. I think the same goes for us. God isn't our 'supernatural vending machine' that does whatever we want. But He is a miracle-maker who loves us and loves to respond supernaturally when we are moving in Hiss direction.
Secondly, having come to partly understand some of God's miracles, I have a huge hunger for science. Many of the things that were once considered 'supernatural' can now be explained naturally. Maybe one day we'll be able to understand the biology and physics behind how Jesus spitting and putting mud in a guy's eyes healed his blindness. Maybe one day we'll make breakthrus in physics, understand new dimensions, and be able to 'see' into the spiritual realm that is around us everyday (i.e. 'dark matter', string theory, ...?!!). That won't change the fact that the works of God are miracles, it just means we'll be able to marvel and glorify Him even more for what He does.
(Also posted at www.urbanbridgechurch.com)
|
