Jeremiah 9:23-24 by Jason G. Lutz

“Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.””

‭‭(Jeremiah‬ ‭9:23-24‬ ‭ESV‬)

I bet dropping the question of Miracles, specifically God’s decisive action in the world, would open up a lively discussion in any Bible study.  I hope everyone reading this is confident that God’s Purposeful origination and sustaining of human life is a Miracle.  I also hope that each of you are confident that He puts forth a “Common Grace” which holds back human depravity preventing each of us from being as evil as we can be.  That the world is not 1916 at the Somme all the time is a Miracle.  Yet each of us, if we are honest, at some point asks, “Father, why don’t You do more?”.

To ask this is to wrestle with God’s Sovereignty and His Freedom, and wrestling with God’s Sovereignty is the match each of us takes on anew every single day.  Ultimately Miracles work to His Purposes and not our perceptions.  This is easy to say, yet hard to accept.  Still the richness of His Glory far surpasses all else.

It has taken and will continue to take time for me to have peace here, even though my pilgrimage has distinct Miracles.  First, I should be dead.  The best of medical knowledge could do nothing for me for nearly two weeks.  I was sustained by Him alone.  Second, Elisa and I were not supposed to have children and yet we have two (and a blind dog who survived parvo).  God intervened and I pray that we live out His Grace.

However, faith is the greatest miracle.  We have nothing to offer the Just and Holy God.  We all prefer sin, rationalization, philosophizing, and self-worship to obedience.  When Paul wrote, “we were dead in our trespasses” he meant every word; we simply do not desire a relationship with God as He is.  But, He acts upon us.  He intentionally and purposefully breaks through all which sin has wrought and calls us to a saving relationship.  Oh my friends, even a ounce of faith is abundant proof of Miracles.

Grace be with you,