A Little Excitement Please
There is a video a lot of us have watched on YouTube of a lady being healed at the revival in Mobile, Alabama. Delia Knox is prayed over and slowly gets up from a wheelchair she had been in for twenty-two years. She begins with baby steps which grow into big strides. I watched the video several times focused on the lady who was healed and learning to walk as if for the very first time. I was amazed each time I watched.
Today I watched again and focused on the crowd who surrounded the lady who the Lord healed. They were excited to witness the Lord strengthening legs that had been declared useless right before their eyes. They used their strong legs to jump and leap as Delia used her newly healed ones to step carefully as she was led through the crowd in front of the altar. This was indeed a notable miracle, one that you couldn't help but notice. Even though the miracle was actually internal it showed external evidence.
On the video it is obvious there are many there in the altar who have also been touched by God. How many of those were also healed? How many of them experienced an internal miracle as well, but showed no outward evidence? Did the crowd excitedly leap and jump for them as they did for Delia?
Jesus performed thirty-six miracles during His ministry which are recorded in the New Testament. Internal healings produced external evidence which left on lookers convinced a miracle had taken place. Miracle after miracle happened blind eyes were opened, deaf ears unstopped, and the lame made to walk, just as Delia Knox did.
In John 4 a nobleman came to Jesus in Cana of Galilee and asked that He go to his sick son. Jesus didn't go, but simply spoke a word and the son was healed. I am sure the sick son got up but didn't know at the time what had happened. When the nobleman was on his way home the next day, he found out that the son was healed at the exact moment Jesus spoke the healing word. The Bible says that he and his whole house believed. How the belief was expressed isn't told.
In Mark 1 when the unclean spirit leaves a man at Capernaum, the crowd was amazed as the man shook with convulsions as the shrieking spirit came out of him. That certainly must have been external evidence of an internal miracle. How the crowd expressed their excitement isn't detailed. The Bible simply tells us they were amazed.
In Luke 4 when Simon Peter's mother in law was healed she immediately arose and prepared a meal for Jesus. In Matthew 1 a leper was healed immediately. In Luke 5 a paralyzed man, brought to Jesus on a mat is healed, gets up, picks up his mat, and goes home praising God. In Mark 3 a man with a withered hand has it restored and made whole by Jesus.
How the crowd reacted to each of these miracles isn't told, but when the widow's son was raised from the dead, Luke 7 tells us that everyone praised God. This internal miracle definitely exhibited external evidence which led to excitement.
Finally, today I think of the miracle of the lady with the issue of blood. She was healed when she simply touched the hem of Jesus' garment. He told her to go for her faith made her whole that day. The miracle showed no outward evidence. The work was done inside the woman's body. I believe she praised God and told many of what Jesus had done for her. What was their reaction? Did they leap and jump and praise God who is the Healer of all our diseases.
When Jesus performed miracles during His ministry on earth; it wasn't simply for the benefit of the person who received the miracle. The miracles were for making others believe Jesus was the Son of God.
Then said Jesus said unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye wil not believe. John 4:48
Is this still true of us today? Do we have to see a miracle happen right before our eyes to believe a miracle has taken place?
Last Sunday morning a lady in our church was led on stage by our pastor. Mary hasn't been to church in several months because she has been very sick from chemo treatments for cancer. Sunday she stood on stage and told us she had been healed. There was certainly no outward evidence, only Mary's words telling us what she knew Jesus had done for her.
Everyone clapped and praised God for a few moments. But today I wonder, how many of us have already forgotten the miracle that was in our midst Sunday morning.
Yes, we all dream of the day when we will see blind eyes opened, deaf ears unstopped, and lame get up from wheelchairs and walk, but how are we reacting to the miracles that are among us now? May we all be truly grateful and exhibit more than just a little excitement for the miraculous things the Messiah is doing in our midst every single day.
May God open our eyes to see, unstop our ears to hear, and strengthen our legs to leap as we praise Him with amazement and excitement as we realize all miracles are notable and praiseworthy. Also, may we have a memory to remember every miracle.