I’ve seen it happen many times:  the waves are crashing up over their banks, the wolves are beating on the door, or the flames are nipping at your toes right about the time God performs a miracle. 

Now of course it’s not always literal flames, but sometimes the struggle of daily life can seem that way.  Even though they were doing what God told them to do, it was true for the three Hebrew children in the Bible: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.  Right when the whole thing seemed hopeless, right at the moment when it looked as if it was the end, that was the time that Jesus came and performed a miracle. 

The same was true for the Disciples.  Jesus told them to get into the boat and go to the other side of the lake.  Certainly, Christ knew of the impending storm, certainly He knew the fear that would engulf them during the storm, certainly He knew of the impending danger they faced.  And yet, He told them get in the boat.  So out they went, most of them experienced fishermen, well knowledgeable of the water.  And here it came.  The wind and wave that washed over them was only out done by the panic that filled their minds.  The Bible indicates that they were in the storm for quite sometime.  Plenty of time to say their last prayer; time to lose all hope.  But then, just as the waves were washing over the boat, Jesus showed up to calm the sea.  It seems that Christ does His best work during times of difficulty. 

Is that really true?  Does Christ only work extra hard during times of difficulty?  Well if it was true, that would be more than we deserve.  But it’s not.  The Bible indicates that the Holy Trinity are always at work, even in the smallest details of our daily lives.  Christ is always looking out for us.  We just seem to notice it more when we come to the point of realization that “it really will take a miracle to get me out of this.”  This indicates that we should be a bit more careful at noticing how the Lord is working around us. 

The Lord is glorified most when He performs great things through the most unlikely people.  His miracles are most expectable when those receiving the miracle have finally come to the end of what they can do themselves and start looking wholly to God for help.

The three Hebrew children knew that the fire was going to be hot, but they also knew that the Lord does wonderful things in, through, and for those who are in His will.

Notice that sometimes He calms the storm, and sometimes He calms His child in the storm in preparation for a greater miracle.  It’s a good thing that we don’t get to choose our miracles.  If the Hebrew children had a choice, they might have opted for the “no pain, straight to heaven” miracle or the “have the King die before he can put us in the fire” miracle.  The disciples might have chosen a miracle of a strong wind that would blow them gently across the water to the other shore before the storm hit.  If they did have their choice, look at all they would have missed!

You may look around and see a storm.  You may see a fire.  You might even see a pack of wolves waiting to pounce.  I challenge you to look deeper.  Have faith and look for Christ to show up and perform the miracle that I know He will!

Keep The Son in Your Eyes,

Pastor Devin