Worldview Watch
Late-night talk radio is worlds away from daytime talk radio.
My current work shift has me driving around 2 am, and while I usually listen to audiobooks, this morning the local talk radio station caught my ear. Between ads for a paranormal dating site, the host and his guest talked about miracles.
Apparently, many people lump miracles in with aliens, telekinesis, and other “paranormal phenomena,” which is sad because it seems to place people of faith into a fringe segment of the population, and, worse, it dishonors God to talk about His works alongside many deceptions.
While we cannot control the world’s portrayal of the supernatural, Christians should always give God the glory for answered prayers and even “coincidences” that ultimately have an unlikely positive effect.
Word usage often leads to unnecessary arguments
Some people say a miracle only happens when God steps out of the laws of the universe to do something truly extraordinary, like parting the Red Sea. Obviously, such an event is a miracle, but other people also use the word anytime God intervenes, even in small ways.
For example, a local church body may pray for healing for a member with a life-threatening disease, and against all odds, the person recovers. Another person may not know how they are going to pay the power bill, but then the needed money, in the right amount, arrives from a completely unexpected source.
Does it matter whether we call these events miracles or not?
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17
So whether the blessing is a miracle or not, it is a gift from God, and we should thank Him and give Him credit. The wording is a matter of semantics, but the end result, our response, is the same—thankfulness and praise.
Many of us struggle to believe that God would intervene in the small happenings of our lives. We may find it easier to believe in luck or just see something as a happy coincidence. We feel unworthy of His attention—which of course we are.
But God is greater than we can imagine, and His love and faithfulness abound. Jesus Himself said,
Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Matthew 10:29-31
Do those words leave you scratching your head in disbelief? They do me, but Jesus said it, so I accept it at face value, as incredible as it seems. Believe it—He cares about you—and be sure to thank Him for the little and big things. And let us try to keep His reality, His holy and perfect ways, separate from fantasy and unproven “phenomena” that smack of mysticism.
