Mark 2:12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

This dramatic, moving story is rightly recorded by multiple Gospel writers because it illustrates the distinctives of Jesus’ ministry. In the first place, Jesus’ teaching was very attractive to many people, but not all who came to hear had open hearts. It is amazing how we can prefer our man-made traditions to the pure Word of God! In the second place, it shows Jesus’ compassionate heart. Having someone lowered through a hole in the roof would be disruptive to say the very least, but Jesus’ focus was on the paralytic, and the faith of the men who brought him to Jesus. The third thing is Jesus’ demonstration of the reality that, as Paul said, “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power.” (1 Corinthians 2:4) Not too many preachers today can make that statement! You can’t refute the power of God with clever arguments. That’s why the resurrection of Lazarus, as recorded in John 11, was the event that pushed Jesus’ enemies to have Him crucified. They couldn’t deny the reality of what He was doing, so they tried to take Him out. Of course, they didn’t know that they were setting the stage for the biggest miracle of all, the atonement for the sins of mankind and victory over death itself. The devil has always insisted that all religions were of equal value, but that’s just another of his lies. It is only in Christ that we are rightly connected to the Creator of the universe, and His power operates in and through us. We can’t dictate to Him how His power is to be used, but when we are rightly submitted to Him, that power operates in and through us, for our blessing and His glory. We need to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, (Matthew 6:33) and expect Him to follow through.

I have only seen a few physical miracles, but I have seen some and know they are no big deal for God. I frankly don’t know why I don’t see more, but it may be related to what Jesus said to Thomas: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29) However, I covet open demonstrations of God’s power to give the Japanese more impetus to repent and believe for their salvation. In the meantime, I am to be faithful and obedient, doing whatever my Lord tells me to do and leaving the result up to Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the nurse’s response yesterday when she found out I was a pastor: “That explains you!” She went on to say that I had an aura of peace, and she was touched by it. May my life be a demonstration of Your reality indeed, however You choose for that to be, so that many may repent and believe for their salvation, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!