Articles
The Divine Power of Jesus (An Article Only Week Due to VBS)
A child is grasping onto the hand of their parent as they are both gingerly following the direction of the exit signs to head out of the mall. About half way out of the mall, the child turns their head and then suddenly screeches to a halt. Noticing a toy store, their eyes open wide and gleam with passion. Leaving their parent in the dust, the child excitingly runs to the store, and proceeds to smudge the glass as they glue their face to the store’s window. The parent finally catches up and the child loudly proclaims, “I need that toy, I need that toy!” Knowing the tantrum that is about to ensue, the parent chucklingly responds, “You know…we have been pacing this store for awhile now, if you promise to leave with me I will get you one of those mall pretzels as big as your whole face!” The child pauses, holds their gurgling tummy, then looks up smiling and says, “Okay!” The onlooking parents think to themselves, “That parent just performed a miracle.”
Over the centuries, the word miracle has lost some of its original meaning. Nowadays, this term is often used to describe any situation that happens despite our belief in its improbability to occur. However, this term in the Bible is used to describe supernatural events that were performed by God, the prophets, and Jesus to focus people’s attention to God (Mark 2:12b). The author of the book of John refers to Jesus’ miracles as signs because they encourage people to become convicted in God and seek Him through Jesus’ teachings (John 20:30-31). Acts 2:22-24 expresses that Jesus’ miraculous deeds on Earth attested to mankind God’s compassionate plan for them. They also helped affirm Jesus’ divinity and were used as God’s signature on Earth.
The parent in this story left their mark on the child by guiding them back from the distraction of the toy store and providing for the child what they truly needed. God knows our heart and will compassionately provide what we need in this life. In Matthew 14:14, the Bible states that Jesus took compassion on the crowd and fed a crowd of five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish. Before feeding the crowd, Jesus and His disciples had every excuse to turn the hungry crowd away because they were grieving John the Baptist’s death, they were in a desolate place, and it was late in the day. Yet, Jesus supplied the need of the crowd in abundance. As His children, He will do the same for us, but only if we listen and rely on Him. If we are like the child who was too focused on the physical stuff in this life, then we won’t be listening for His genuine providing guidance. Jesus can provide us with the things we need in abundance. His path provides the water and bread of everlasting life, the eternal home of Heaven, and infinite love of our Creator. Will you choose to take the world’s path of temporary nourishment, or Christ’s path that leads to unending fulfillment?
