Man, my heart is heavy today...

It feels to me like when I preach on something – those things either happen more or at least I’m made more aware of them because of my mindset.

When I preached on relationships – I was aware of more satanic attack on our marriage and in the lives of so many.

So I’m going to preach for the rest of the year on “God loves me and has a wonderful plan for my life.” :)

Now I’m preaching on miracles and you would think that would be a great thing to focus on (and I’ve included a cool one at the end of this blog.) But it also draws my attention to the fact that so many people need a miracle. As I preach on Jesus calming the storm today, I am reminded that many people are IN the storm, and they are asking Jesus to calm it and so far it hasn’t happened.

I think the whole Christian world is just heavy about the Steven Curtis Chapman family's tragedy. And we all want to know why. Of course the answer is that Jesus was in the boat and they still had a bad storm. There is no exemption. And the promise is that Jesus will be with us and calm the storm, at least in our hearts, even though the storm may continue to rage around us.

(Remember that these disciples who were rescued from this storm – still had very hard lives and were martyred for their faith in Christ. This storm was calmed, but there is no true calm until we get to Heaven.)

We will never know the answer to the question of “why.” I can tell you that God doesn’t usually cause the storm (he did for Jonah, but Jonah brought it on himself). I don’t think God caused the storm that the disciples were in. and I certainly don’t think that he caused the accident that took the life of Maria Chapman. (Or the recent earthquake in China or tragedy in Myanmar or.....)

If I can say it, I do see good. In the case of the Chapman’s, I really do feel that possibly hundreds, if not thousands, if not ten thousands of children who desperately need families – will be adopted because of the tug of the heart we all feel about Maria right now. People who realize what a beautiful thing the Chapman’s did for this little girl and the love she brought into their home and it may motivate them to take action. I hate that it happened and I pray daily for the family and especially the brother – that’s where the story is really tragic. But I know that God will bring good from tragedy. We have to ask him to calm the storm, and we have to have enough faith that his will is best.

I remind you that the point of everything in this life is to help people find a relationship with God.

“Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of His disciples that are not recorded in this book, but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the son of God and that by believing you might have life in His name.” John 20: 30-31

Whether you see the miracles or not. Whether you feel the miracles or not. Whether God answers your prayers the way you want – or not – ultimately it’s all about believing and having life in his name.

God works through the tragedy and the miraculous to draw people to himself.

And when he does answer our prayers. Like he has this week in our church as Russ & Sharon Caifano's son, Marty was lost at sea in a capsized boat in Mexico and we prayed and a Navy Ship found him and his friends and all is well. Or when he answers prayers that we didn’t even pray – like the car accident at the end of this blog. Or when he allows a beautiful little 5 year old girl to be taken away (to heaven – may I remind you, A MUCH BETTER PLACE).

We have to trust in God’s promise to be with us through it all.

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior." Isaiah 43:2-3

A miracle after service at Parkview (Sent to me vial email) I was leaving service Saturday when Holly Jo came back to church and let me know that Jessica Gray had been in an accident. She was traveling East on Orland Parkway and had no intentions of turning left when her car violently turned left onto 183rd Street she lost control as an axel broke and she lost her brakes. Luckily she grazed the electrical box which is a blessing in disguise because her van would have fish tailed causing her to roll down the hill. But the electrical box kept the van going straight down the hill. It’s also a miracle that the wheels turned sideways digging into the grass bringing her to a halt at the bottom of the hill because the only thing that would have stopped her from there is a brick wall. Jessica was fine…just a little upset and shaken. She was counting this as a blessing because if it happened on a highway or in traffic this could have been much worse. Debbie Hotchkiss was actually right behind her and saw the whole incident and helped her immediately along with about 10 Parkview people. Her dad who was just coming from service stated, “well, if that isn’t a miracle I don’t know what is.” (Click on the pictures to the right for a larger view.)

Comments

[Donna Almanza]

As I was exiting the parking lot after the 11AM service I received a call about my friend who was heading to Indianapolis for a kidney transplant. This is the miracle he has been awaiting for a long time. He is 65 years old and a very loving Father and Grandfather. His name is Lupe Bustos, please keep him in your prayers. If the final match goes well he will be in surgery at 8:30 AM tomorrow morning. Pastor Tim, I thank you for this church and for you. It has filled my heart.