Miracles
I was reading a story about Jesus healing someone, and for some reason, I started thinking about how some people asked Jesus for help, and other people didn't, but Jesus helped them either way. So I decided to do a little research, with the help of this site. Here is what I found:
- All miracles were for people who had a need for themselves or for someone else, except for when Jesus told the fig tree to die, and that was a teaching illustration, so it was still intended to help the disciples (not for Jesus' own need).
- There are 35 miracles that are specifically listed in the gospels (not including when it talks generically about Jesus healing groups or crowds of people).
- 17 of these miracles came after someone asked Jesus for help.
- 12 of the 17 were asking for help for someone else, and 5 were asking for themselves.
- 18 of these miracles were initiated by Jesus, and He was not asked for help. (Sometimes He asked them if they wanted help.)
- 8 of the 18 were done as teaching illustrations.
Something else I noticed is that when people asked Jesus for help, the Bible almost always says they "begged" or "pleaded" for His help. There were a few who were brought to Jesus, but often they asked Him to "Please come." Many times it also describes Jesus--whether asked or not asked--as being moved with compassion before He healed someone.
I wrote a bunch of things that I thought were interesting about applying this, but then I deleted it. If there's something that Jesus wants you to learn with this, I pray that He will show you. But one small thought is this: we can know that God sees us and our need. He loves for us to come to Him for help, but He is not limited by anything. Even our lack of prayer--our ignorance and apathy--doesn't stand in the way when God is ready to pour out His grace. He can use the prayers of others, and even the Holy Spirit's prayers on our behalf (Rom.8:26). Whatever miracles God wants to surprise us with, we can be assured that they all begin and end with His grace.
- All miracles were for people who had a need for themselves or for someone else, except for when Jesus told the fig tree to die, and that was a teaching illustration, so it was still intended to help the disciples (not for Jesus' own need).
- There are 35 miracles that are specifically listed in the gospels (not including when it talks generically about Jesus healing groups or crowds of people).
- 17 of these miracles came after someone asked Jesus for help.
- 12 of the 17 were asking for help for someone else, and 5 were asking for themselves.
- 18 of these miracles were initiated by Jesus, and He was not asked for help. (Sometimes He asked them if they wanted help.)
- 8 of the 18 were done as teaching illustrations.
Something else I noticed is that when people asked Jesus for help, the Bible almost always says they "begged" or "pleaded" for His help. There were a few who were brought to Jesus, but often they asked Him to "Please come." Many times it also describes Jesus--whether asked or not asked--as being moved with compassion before He healed someone.
I wrote a bunch of things that I thought were interesting about applying this, but then I deleted it. If there's something that Jesus wants you to learn with this, I pray that He will show you. But one small thought is this: we can know that God sees us and our need. He loves for us to come to Him for help, but He is not limited by anything. Even our lack of prayer--our ignorance and apathy--doesn't stand in the way when God is ready to pour out His grace. He can use the prayers of others, and even the Holy Spirit's prayers on our behalf (Rom.8:26). Whatever miracles God wants to surprise us with, we can be assured that they all begin and end with His grace.
No wonder we are told not to bother worrying or being afraid. We have a strong, able-bodied Father,to say the least. Plus His heart is filled with love for us. We're covered.
ReplyDeleteI love Jesus. This is one great reason!
ReplyDeleteHe taught me: "My Father sees, my Father hears, my Father knows..."