The Complex Nature of the Impossible: Understanding God Through Miracles in the Bible
At some point, each one of us might find ourselves in a moment where we beg for a miracle. Whether it’s during the illness of a loved one, a personal challenge, or a decision that seems insurmountable. As a person of faith, these moments take us to prayer and in prayer we fall to our knees and ask God to accompany us, to give us strength. We may not always get the outcome we desired and that can be a difficult reality to process. Sometimes our loved ones pass away, problems wreak havoc in our lives, and our wishes for the future turn out differently.
So what does this mean? Is this a cause for the loss of faith?
The answer, of course, is no. As believers of Christ, we understand that God’s will is complex and that he sees beyond what we can see. We understand that he’s working things out for good and that we must trust Him. This can be difficult when life throws ground-shaking tragedy at our feet. The beauty of faith, however, is that it aims to be unshakable precisely so that it could flourish in difficult times.
The Bible tells of several miracles that, according to Scripture, proved to those that doubted that the son of God was real that he was true and compassionate and loving.
So what are these miracles and what can we expect of miracles in the modern world?
The Gospels and One Famous Miracle
The Bible recounts several instances where Jesus performs miracles. In each instance, witnesses to these learn something extraordinary and learn to trust that God is present. There is a lesson in each one and the extent of that lesson depends on how deeply you go into the text. Let’s take a cursory view of one of Jesus’ most recounted miracles.
The Feeding of the 5,000 — Compassion & Strength
This miracle is found in all four Gospels and is recounted differently in each one. Each account has varying details that enhance the overall story. In Matthew, Jesus hears about the death of John the Baptist. He takes a boat and goes to a remote place but is followed by people of the town on foot, those also mourning the death. He took compassion on these people and healed the sick. As the sun set, the disciplines told Jesus that he should encourage people to return home, as they were in a desolate place and had no food.
Jesus said to them, “They need not go away, you give them something to eat.”
The disciplines pointed out that they had only five loaves of bread and only two fish. Jesus ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish and looked up to heaven. He said a prayer and proceeded to break the loaves and handed them out to the disciples. The disciples passed them around and, before they knew it, everyone had a bite to eat.
“And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about 5,000 men, besides women and children.”- Matthew 14, 19-22
What Can We Learn from the Miraculous Splitting of Five Loaves of Bread?
There are a lot of important lessons that can be deduced from Jesus’ miracle. The story painted here shows the breadth of his compassion for the people that follow Him. Not only does he heal their sick, but he is compassionate to those that have followed Him and shows them his dedication to them.
At the same time, the story shows us the power of trusting Jesus. The crowd followed Him to a desolate place and remained there until dark. They trusted Him and he provided for them. We all have moments where we feel we have done the right things but find ourselves in a dark and desolate place. Do we turn and run? Do we curse at the difficulties of life? Or do we remain steadfast and trust that God will provide answers, insight, or enough sustenance for us to continue forward.
Jesus recognized the spiritual hunger of those that had followed Him. He provided for them. He has the ability to provide what we need even when it seems there is not enough. So, despite the seeming reality that there was simply not enough food, Jesus manages to satisfy his disciples and his followers. The word satisfaction is important here. Because it’s not just about everyone receiving a bite to eat, it’s about them being satisfied, spiritually and physically.
Want to Dive into the Study of God’s Word? Let Your Life Be Enriched Through Story
There are endless little miracles in our lives, and perhaps we often fail to pay attention to them because we focus on the things that fall apart or don’t go our way. When we beg for a miracle and something else happens, perhaps the miracle is different than what we imagined. God’s will is complex, but he is compassionate. He knows what you need and he provides.
Trusting in Him can be difficult when life gets rough.
It’s why we invite you to worship with us. Join our worship services and be touched by the glory of God’s Word. The study of the Bible presents various layers of meaning. Delving into the Word of God provides not only a historical view of a different time, but also animates God’s edicts in a way that fuels our imagination and our literary impulses. Faith requires work, as does building a relationship with God.
Let us work together to build our faith.
Interested in Bible Study or joining a community of people dedicated to God? Call Faith Miracle Sanctuary today or come by our services.