What Do Miracles Teach Us About Jesus?
Open Your Bible
Colossians 1:15-20, Psalm 77:13-15, Mark 4:35-41, Luke 11:18-23, Matthew 8:14-17
BY Kaitlin Wernet
Scripture Reading: Colossians 1:15-20, Psalm 77:13-15, Mark 4:35-41, Luke 11:18-23, Matthew 8:14-17
I once became a vegetarian just because I wasn’t fluent in Spanish. Although I’d never before considered myself a picky eater, a few weeks of traveling in a foreign country taught me that these exotic dishes were a real game-changer.
One night, I’d decided to play it safe by ordering the catch of the day. What the menu didn’t specify, however, was that not much had been done since the fish had been caught that day, leaving me with a scaly, slippery dish and two beady eyes staring mockingly back at me.
The next night, I knew better. Using my handy translator’s dictionary, I learned the word for “eyes,” and walked into the restaurant with a newfound resilience.
“Ojos?” I asked with confidence, ordering the chicken this time.
“No, no,” the waiter responded, chuckling.
The dish arrived just as I’d ordered it—no eyes this time, but… there were feathers. Like I was just supposed to put them in my hat and carry on.
I’m the queen of asking the wrong questions.
I’ve always had lots of questions about miracles. And if I’m being completely transparent, most of the time it hurts to ask them. Because while learning about Jesus’ healing power and His heart for His people, my questions inevitably turn to, Will He do this for me? or Why didn’t He do this for me?
Hope does not come from belief in power; it comes from trust in a Person. When we don’t understand what Jesus is doing, we must seek to know Him more.
As C.S. Lewis said, “Christianity does not involve the belief that all things were made for man.” So our first question needs to change from “What does this say about me?” to “What does this teach me about Jesus?” Or, as Mark 4 says, miracles should cause us to ask, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey Him!” (v.41).
Before we get any further into this miracle-studying business, let that be our default question: Who then is this Jesus?
He is the victorious Lord of all (Colossians 1:15).
He is Lord over creation (Mark 4:39).
He is the One who overcomes evil (Luke 11:18-23).
He is the Suffering Servant who bears our infirmities (Matthew 8:17).
Miracles are breadcrumbs that lead us to the One who answers our need. They themselves are not the prize or the point, because He is already actively both. Miracles teach us that Jesus is God’s glory purposed for redemption. He came to show us His power to heal, but more importantly, to show us we’ve already been healed in Him.
If and (inevitably) when I begin to ask the wrong questions, may I look to the fullness of Christ and find that my need for Him is a privilege. May I praise Him for His miracles, but not miss the biggest miracle of all: Jesus Himself.
“For God was pleased to have
all His fullness dwell in Him,
and through Him to reconcile
everything to Himself
by making peace
through the blood of His cross
whether things on earth or things in heaven.”
– Colossians 1:19-20
83 thoughts on "What Do Miracles Teach Us About Jesus?"
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This is my first SRT study, I was intrigued to learn more about the miracles of Jesus after having just experienced miraculous healing in my own life. Two months ago my son was born and immediately taken from me to be treated in the NICU, he had trouble breathing and they thought he might have a lung infection. It broke my heart to be separated from him, but this is really where I started to see God’s hand. My son recovered within two days and on the third day of his life he was released from the hospital, no infection and breathing on his own. My husband and I were on our knees the entire time and God was surely with us. However after only two nights at home we had to go back to the hospital to treat my sons high level of jaundice, meanwhile because of the delay and trauma my breasts became engorged and on the verge of infection. It felt like the final defeat, I was so terrified and hurt that I wouldn’t be able to feed my baby. I was past the point of exhaustion and I was in so much pain, I cried out to Jesus. I remembered the story of the woman who was bleeding and came to touch the hem of Jesus’ robe for healing, I said “just let me touch the hem of your robe Jesus, I have faith” In that moment my breasts went from rock hard to incredibly soft and I could feel the milk let down and clogged ducts open. From that point my lips could not contain my praises and I sang and sang and sang! It may be somewhat embarrassing to read about miraculous healing of breasts, but God designed them to give nourishment to a baby and I desperately wanted to nurse my son. We have been nursing smoothly ever since and now my son, Samuel, is healthy and strong at two months old!
I share this because I want to testify to the fact that miracles are real, but more importantly, God is absolutely real. He is with us when we need him most, His presence alone is a miracle in itself, and we are privileged, so very privileged, to need Him.
I’m glad I can seek Jesus with you all.
-Amanda-
What a huge blessing from the Lord!
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What a wonderful testimony. Blessings to you and your family!
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This is beautiful! I definitely believe God has angels assigned to nursing moms to help the challenges of breastfeeding!
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Our amazing God is so personal, he knows our every need, and that of your beautiful Son x
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As I write this, I am lying beside my 5-month old baby on a hospital bed who’s been sick with a very high fever during the last 3days. This post couldn’t come at a more perfect time. I just experienced a miracle a few moments ago. Sharing on my blog:
steady-myheart.blogspot.com/2017/04/healing-is-in-your-hands.html?m=1Coveting your prayers for healing of my child… Godbless
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I’m praying for you and your baby, and I’m thanking God for His perfect timing.
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I will be praying for both you and your baby!
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Loved this from today, “He Himself took our weaknesses and carried our diseases!” I think sometimes we get caught up in the heavenly side of Jesus, the side that performs miracles and is ever powerful. But we must remember He was also human just like us and felt the same sufferings that we do. How humbling.
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Really loved today’s devotion! My husband’s and my bible study is reading through John Piper’s God is the Gospel (highly recommend it, btw) and this devotion really made a connection with that book. God must be the center of all things because He is the center of all things! When you get that, it puts everything you read and do into perspective. So I really loved when the author said, “The biggest miracle of all is Jesus Himself.” Let us not forget that that is the most important thing of all.
Can’t wait to see the next devotions in this series!
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I too have ordered fish and it came with the eyes. So disturbing!
This is so true, so often we get caught up in the miracle instead of the miracle maker. I am guilty of this too.
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Yeah, no ojos para me! I think most of us, if not all, have been guilty of wanting to benefit from the hand of God when we really should be seeking the heart of God.
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Miracles point us to Jesus and all He is. Oh thank you for this because so often I’m looking just for the result. Praying today to keep blinders on so He alone remains my focus.
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I feel the same way! I love the reminder to read scripture with the lens of “what does this tell me about Jesus?” vs “What does this say about me?”.
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The question is always what does this passage tell me about Jesus rather than what does it tell me about me or my situation. (My paraphrase of her words). This is soooo good. I am really learning that we have it all backward in our culture. We read the Bible to tell us how to live or what to do. But the Bible isn’t about us. It is about God and the story about Him. I am learning to read the Bible to see what it says to me about Him. Because He is all I need and He is the answer to everything. Wow! I pray that some day I can fully grasp that concept. Such a great devotional truth today!
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Amen Aimee!!
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If and (inevitably) when I begin to ask the wrong questions, may I look to the fullness of Christ and find that my need for Him is a privilege. May I praise Him for His miracles, but not miss the biggest miracle of all: Jesus Himself.
MY NEED FOR HIM IS A PRIVILEGE!!! Wow! Such profound insight!!! Thank you!-
Yep I totally resonated with this same part, amen!
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“Hope does not come from belief in power; it comes from trust in a Person. When we don’t understand what Jesus is doing, we must seek to know Him more.” – YAAASSS!!! So often our first reaction is to question God or to be mad. But when we don’t understand a situation, when we don’t understand what He is doing we should seek Him even more! I love this!
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