He's been a Christian for two days now and he wants to know why he doesn't see miracles yet.
The honesty of a child and the questions he's unafraid to ask, they all produce weak answers from me and bring up the questions of my own.
"Every time you venture out in your life of faith, you will find something in your circumstances that, from a commonsense standpoint, will flatly contradict your faith. But common sense is not faith, and faith is not common sense." ~ Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest
God is not afraid of our questions, but me? I want to explain to this child how open eyes will see miracles everyday and how the dirt-becoming-man was enough, but then the King-became-man and turned every miracle upside down.
I want to explain because maybe I'm afraid that if he doesn't get the right answers, his faith will cease?
Wasn't rising from the dead enough miracle for all our lifetimes? But he didn't see that one.
I want to put miracles into words that a 7 year old can understand, but where are the words for me, the ones that will make it all clear and common sense?
Jesus said to her, ’Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?’ —John 11:40
Martha's common sense worried about the smell and the time that had passed and why wasn't Jesus here earlier. She would've had very practical answers for my 7 year old.
But then she saw the glory of God.
I remember faith-growing moments.
I remember praying out loud that we would see a bear on our drive through the backroads, and answering their child-questions with faith. Moments after my prayer the kids were asking if I thought we were really going to see one.
Yes, I said. And inside I feared that I had backed God in a corner.
I remember how God answered my child-questions with not one, but three bears. A mama and 2 cubs, playing right there in the road for us to see.
And the kids in the backseat who couldn't see well? How about if those cubs just climb the tree right next to the truck? The cubs all playful and my kids all bug-eyed, because we've never seen bears here in these woods before, but mama prayed.
The mountains didn't move and the storms of life didn't cease, but God heard a feeble prayer and answered three-fold, just because He loves me.
That's what I saw. Nothing earth shattering, no one healed miraculously, but just this one thing that will never leave me: God loves us and wants to show us His glory.
So when you think you need the right answers and miracles for your faith? Look for His glory, because the sun came up this morning and it shines on this whole world full of Him, glory all around and even in you.
Don't be afraid of the questions.
{More pictures from Yellowstone above, but the bears? They were right here in Oregon.}
