Do you see miracles? I didn't. I saw coincidences. Sure, they could be the work of God and his Holy Spirit guiding and keeping me from harm. I might even hear that "little voice" in my head. But I never called these miracles. Such things were for a special few to experience. Super saints maybe. How little did I know! My eyes were blind, especially to the miracles in my own life. But now I believe differently.
Why the change? Well, Jesus said if we love Him, we will obey Him. (John 14:23) Funny thing about obeying. One day that little voice told me, "GO, spread the gospel in foreign countries." Then something incredible happened. I moved to Kenya! And from that moment to the day I arrived, I saw miracle after miracle. Doors were opened, funds were provided, and the only explanation was by a miracle.
Today I'm a teacher and missionary in Kenya, an amazing place for sharing and caring, loving and learning, a land ripe for miracles! This is where I realized that obedience to God and His leading opens our eyes to His miracles. I can see them now, and experience them. God often works His miracles through those who belong to Him. Jesus demonstrated this. Remember the wedding at Canaan?
Jesus didn't just snap his fingers. He used servants to bring large jars and fill them with water. Then as the servants looked on, Jesus turned that ordinary water into celebration wine. I am also a servant. If I obey and do what Jesus asks of me, I will see miracles, too. But even with this newfound knowledge, I never truly believed I would see a BIG miracle, like the ones in the New Testament. Until...
In the Nairobi slums, many children's only meals come from the local schools. Weekends they eat nothing at all. So on Saturdays I joined other teachers to provide meals and minister to the students at one such school. The meal, rice and Kenyan beef stew, was simple but nutritious and filling. We knew exactly how many students to expect and always had enough for each to receive a full plate, rarely with any left for seconds. You may be thinking this was the miracle. You would be wrong.
Word spread that when the Wazungas (white people) came, they brought food. One Saturday as the students waited, other children saw us driving in and followed us to the school. They were starving and began to beg as soon as we got out of our cars. My heart broke, but we only had enough for those at this school. They tried to enter the campus but were stopped by the school director, a good Christian man, who told them to wait until the end of the day and if there was any food left, they could have some.
The food was cooked over wood-burning stoves called jikos, the stew in one giant pot and the rice in another. At meal time, each student was given a spoon and lined up to receive their plates. We served each class all the way up to the highest grade, 7th grade. And as we dished out the rice and stew, I and others prayed there might be some left for the growing number of children outside the campus gate.
But before we could get to them, families of the teachers, administrators, and students arrived. We had not planned for them. Then some of the older students came back for seconds. I was very worried because I knew without a doubt that the pots were nearly empty. I looked inside. The pots were still half-full!!! "Did everyone get served? Did they have their fill?" "Yes," came the answer.
Our attention turned to the children outside the gate. They had waited for hours! The director, concerned about the amount of food remaining, had them enter only a few at time. No need. I watched as ALL of these extra children ate (more like shoveled) the food we had prepared, and I was overwhelmed. This was not physically possible. I know. I'm a science teacher. Yet it was happening right before my eyes-a miracle straight out the Bible-fishes and loaves became never-empty pots of stew and rice.
I was experiencing it with these children. In obedience to God's will, I was His servant. What a privilege to be used by God in this miracle. I went into an empty classroom and cried. How many times had a miracle NOT happened because I wasn't obedient to God's leading? How many times had someone gone hungry, thirsty, or without a coat because I didn't give when God told me to? How many more times would my selfishness and lack of trust in God's provision for me cause someone else to suffer...all because I didn't allow God to work His miracle through me?
At the end of the day, I was humbled again. Dare I say it, miraculously the pots still weren't empty. There were leftovers!!! God never ceases to amaze and remind me that ALL things are possible for HIM. I pray that the routine of my life never interferes with hearing HIS voice, having me miss the chance to be used by God to fulfill a miracle.
May God bless you this and every day, to hear His guiding voice, so you can see...Miracles do happen!
