Modern Miracles

I have been reading about Jesus’ life and ministry. Amazing stuff. Wherever he went – people were healed, released, told the good news of the Kingdom.

But even then his disciples asked him to ‘increase their faith’.

On Saturday I was in town at a meeting. Sheba was due to come home when a person came saying that someone was very sick and could she come. She made arrangements for someone to look after Asha and Enoch and went to this home.

At the room Sheba found a man in his mid 30s who asked her to end his life. He and his wife were HIV positive. He had suffered a partial paralysis. His fingers and toes looked gangrenous.
He was in terrible pain.

It was a totally hopeless situation.

Just that morning Sheba had been reading about how Jesus had come down from the mountain and found his disciples unable to cast out a demon. “Wicked and perverse generation” he called them for their unbelief. Sheba had been thinking how horrible it was that we do not believe. Its not just a sad part of the human condition, but something really wrong. Something that we have to plead with God to change us in.

Now here was the situation that demanded faith.

Sheba told the man that she would certainly not give him medicine to die. She told him that she did not have any miracle medicine either to change all his suffering instantly. But she did tell him about Jesus – who loved him and who cared for him. She prayed for the man and asked him to pray directly to Jesus.

“Give me a photo so I can pray to him” said the man.

“Jesus said that we should not worship any image” replied Sheba “but in your mind you can think of the brightest light possible, because we know that Jesus is the true light and he is the light of lights. You can also remember his nail-pierced hands which he stretched out for you and me.”

Our staff went the next day – on their own off day – to pray for him.

On Monday in the daily staff review Sheba heard the amazing news that the man’s pain had totally gone since the prayer – and that he was even able to start moving his leg again a bit.

Modern miracles. We must, we absolutely must have faith. Life is too short not to.