A SPECIAL MIRACLE
Isn't it a good thing that Jesus being the Son of God does not depend on me recognizing Him as such. He has been, is, and always will be, the Son of God. In addition, one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord to the Glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11). However, when was it in your life that you first really worshiped Him as the Son of God.
In reading Matthew, the first time I notice the disciples calling Jesus the Son of God and worshiping Him is when Jesus came to them, walking on the water. After He and Peter had their little "faith lesson" and they came back into the boat, Matthew 14:33 says, "Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, 'Truly you are the Son of God.' "
My inquiry is - why now? I did a search on the miracles of Jesus in chronological order and walking on water came in at #21! Immediately before they were on the boat, the disciples experienced the feeding of the 5000. And it is interesting to note that in Matthew 14:22 it says, "Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd." The disciples were probably thinking long and hard about what just happened. They had until the "fourth watch of the night" (somewhere between 3 and 6 in the morning) to contemplate this miracle before trying to discern what was coming to them on the stormy waves. Then after this experience, the disciples called Jesus the Son of God and worshiped Him. What about all the other miracles before? Why did they not call Him Son of God then and worship Him then?
1 Born of a virgin
2 Changing water into wine
3 Healing of the royal official's son
4 Healing of a man possessed by a demon in Capernaum
5 Healing of Simon Peter's mother-in-law
6 Healing the sick during the evening
7 Catching a large number of fish
8 Healing a leper
9 Healing a centurion's servant
10 Healing a paralyzed man
11 Healing a withered hand
12 Raising a widow's son
13 Calming the stormy sea
14 Healing the Gerasene demon-possessed man
15 Healing a woman with internal bleeding
16 Raising Jairus' daughter
17 Healing two blind men
18 Healing a mute man possessed by a demon
19 Healing a man who was crippled for 38 years
What was the straw that broke the camel's back? What prompted the disciples to finally call Jesus the Son of God, their long awaited Messiah and King, and worship Him? Jesus' track record or resume was surely building. Just "grabbing at straws", were the miracles that were done before able to be performed by any other "medicine man" type of individual? Were the miracles somehow so commonplace or so forgettable or maybe explainable that these last two were the "one-two-punch" that was needed?
I am guilty of what I am alluding too and trying to get around to saying. Desensitization of God's miracles. God deals in everything - from the minute (mahy-noot) to the grandiose. His everyday activities are called "Miracles". For me, many experiences have been linked with the grand-desperate combination. Whenever I have seen God work in these two criteria of my life, (1) when I need Him desperately, and (2) when I need a huge miracle, sometimes He answers "yes". Other times, He answers "not right now". Still at other times, He says, "No". You have to trust God. If you can't trust Him, who can you trust?
For those times that He says, "Yes", it is especially easy to call Him Lord, the Son of God and praise and worship Him. Yet, there is one more response that He has made known to me which might be applicable to the disciples as well - "What about 'x' miracle or 'y' miracle? I was the Son of God then too. I deserve worship just as much then too." I don't take this question as a condemning question and/or statement. I take it as more of a challenge to increase my powers of observation. The "x" miracle or "y" miracle could be something very personal to somebody or it could be something that we all experience, like the appearing of another sunrise or one more day to make a difference. In the scriptural reference here, Jesus did not stop and ask why they chose to call Him Son of God and worship Him now, this is my observation and application to my life and maybe others.
So, are you waiting around for some big event to call Him Son of God and worship Him? I have noticed the word "amazing" has been used quite a lot lately. Almost taking the punch out of the definition of the word. When you and I reflect on our lives and the Miracles that we know beyond the shadow of a doubt were miracles - are you truly amazed?
Recognition, thanksgiving, gratitude, praise, adoration and worship are all lumped into what needs to come from me to Him for all that He is to me, has done for me, and has planned for me. I hope all of us can work on our awareness of God's movement in our lives. He deserves all the praise and when you are actively seeking out reasons to praise Him, the list should start and only pause for interruptions from our lives.
I can't believe I am going to say "little miracles", but when you and I can recognize our Lord as Savior and Son of God in the little miracles and worship Him then as well as the large breakthroughs, I believe we, as believers in Christ, have reached a new level in Him. And it is all about growing in our relationship with Jesus. And here is just one aspect - recognition and worship as a sense of a God-awareness lifestyle.
In reading Matthew, the first time I notice the disciples calling Jesus the Son of God and worshiping Him is when Jesus came to them, walking on the water. After He and Peter had their little "faith lesson" and they came back into the boat, Matthew 14:33 says, "Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, 'Truly you are the Son of God.' "
My inquiry is - why now? I did a search on the miracles of Jesus in chronological order and walking on water came in at #21! Immediately before they were on the boat, the disciples experienced the feeding of the 5000. And it is interesting to note that in Matthew 14:22 it says, "Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd." The disciples were probably thinking long and hard about what just happened. They had until the "fourth watch of the night" (somewhere between 3 and 6 in the morning) to contemplate this miracle before trying to discern what was coming to them on the stormy waves. Then after this experience, the disciples called Jesus the Son of God and worshiped Him. What about all the other miracles before? Why did they not call Him Son of God then and worship Him then?
1 Born of a virgin
2 Changing water into wine
3 Healing of the royal official's son
4 Healing of a man possessed by a demon in Capernaum
5 Healing of Simon Peter's mother-in-law
6 Healing the sick during the evening
7 Catching a large number of fish
8 Healing a leper
9 Healing a centurion's servant
10 Healing a paralyzed man
11 Healing a withered hand
12 Raising a widow's son
13 Calming the stormy sea
14 Healing the Gerasene demon-possessed man
15 Healing a woman with internal bleeding
16 Raising Jairus' daughter
17 Healing two blind men
18 Healing a mute man possessed by a demon
19 Healing a man who was crippled for 38 years
What was the straw that broke the camel's back? What prompted the disciples to finally call Jesus the Son of God, their long awaited Messiah and King, and worship Him? Jesus' track record or resume was surely building. Just "grabbing at straws", were the miracles that were done before able to be performed by any other "medicine man" type of individual? Were the miracles somehow so commonplace or so forgettable or maybe explainable that these last two were the "one-two-punch" that was needed?
I am guilty of what I am alluding too and trying to get around to saying. Desensitization of God's miracles. God deals in everything - from the minute (mahy-noot) to the grandiose. His everyday activities are called "Miracles". For me, many experiences have been linked with the grand-desperate combination. Whenever I have seen God work in these two criteria of my life, (1) when I need Him desperately, and (2) when I need a huge miracle, sometimes He answers "yes". Other times, He answers "not right now". Still at other times, He says, "No". You have to trust God. If you can't trust Him, who can you trust?
For those times that He says, "Yes", it is especially easy to call Him Lord, the Son of God and praise and worship Him. Yet, there is one more response that He has made known to me which might be applicable to the disciples as well - "What about 'x' miracle or 'y' miracle? I was the Son of God then too. I deserve worship just as much then too." I don't take this question as a condemning question and/or statement. I take it as more of a challenge to increase my powers of observation. The "x" miracle or "y" miracle could be something very personal to somebody or it could be something that we all experience, like the appearing of another sunrise or one more day to make a difference. In the scriptural reference here, Jesus did not stop and ask why they chose to call Him Son of God and worship Him now, this is my observation and application to my life and maybe others.
So, are you waiting around for some big event to call Him Son of God and worship Him? I have noticed the word "amazing" has been used quite a lot lately. Almost taking the punch out of the definition of the word. When you and I reflect on our lives and the Miracles that we know beyond the shadow of a doubt were miracles - are you truly amazed?
Recognition, thanksgiving, gratitude, praise, adoration and worship are all lumped into what needs to come from me to Him for all that He is to me, has done for me, and has planned for me. I hope all of us can work on our awareness of God's movement in our lives. He deserves all the praise and when you are actively seeking out reasons to praise Him, the list should start and only pause for interruptions from our lives.
I can't believe I am going to say "little miracles", but when you and I can recognize our Lord as Savior and Son of God in the little miracles and worship Him then as well as the large breakthroughs, I believe we, as believers in Christ, have reached a new level in Him. And it is all about growing in our relationship with Jesus. And here is just one aspect - recognition and worship as a sense of a God-awareness lifestyle.
Comments
Post a Comment