Do Miracles Still Happen?
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Most Christians have no doubt about the miracles performed by Jesus when He walked this earth. Most Christians also believe in the miracles performed by the Apostles. But do miracles continue to happen today? We will look into this further in today’s message.
My wife and I just returned from a 5-week trip. One of the cities we visited was Santa Fe, New Mexico. While there, we went to see two very popular Christian sites. We visited the Miraculous Staircase at Loretto Chapel, in downtown Santa Fe, and we visited El Santuario de Chimayo, often referred to simply as Chimayo, in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in northern New Mexico. Both attest to miraculous occurrences.
According to the website for Loretto Chapel, “Legend says that to find a solution to the seating problem, the Sisters of the Chapel made a novena (a nine-day prayer) to St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters. On the ninth and final day of prayer, a man appeared at the Chapel with a donkey and a toolbox looking for work. Months later, the elegant circular staircase was completed, and the carpenter disappeared without pay or thanks. After searching for the man (an ad even ran in the local newspaper) and finding no trace of him, some concluded that he was St. Joseph himself, having come in answer to the sisters’ prayers.” Was this a miracle?
As to Chimayo, according to the most popular tradition, “on the Holy Week night of Good Friday in 1810, a man saw a light beaming out of one of the hills near the Santa Cruz River in Chimayo. He went to the spot and saw that the light was coming out of the ground. Digging with his bare hands, he found a Crucifix.” Ever since then, Christians have been visiting Chimayo. Today it draws over 300,000 visitors each year. The dirt where the cross was found is purported to have healing and/or miraculous properties. One website states, “Attested to by the crutches and other physical evidence of healing left behind in the inner holy shrine, many people claim that by rubbing the dirt on their injured and ailing bodies, they have been miraculously healed.” Are these truly miracles?
Thousands of people visit both of these destinations. Did miracles occur there? Do miracles still happen there? Do miracles happen in our own lives? Should we as Christians still believe in miracles?
Miracles can and still do happen today, but we need to proceed with caution when placing our belief in them. Miracles are seen as manifestations of God’s power that go beyond natural causes. They suspend for a moment the effect of physical laws; however, they do not revoke them.
Christianity has long recognized the reality that God performs miracles. However, the Church has also taught us that we should not “expect” God to perform miracles nor should our faith be based on the outcome of God answering our prayer for a miracle. Can miracles happen? Yes! Should I pray for them? I can. If they don’t happen, should my faith be weakened or shattered? No! God’s ways are above our ways. God is sovereign and in control. We must always trust in God’s will. Along side of natural causes, there is a long history of people being healed by divine grace! We should always persevere in prayer, but with an attitude of trust in God’s providence, rather than demanding miracles.
Miracles are real! But we should be cautions against an overly demanding or presumptuous attitude in praying for them. Our focus should always be on growing in faith, hope, and love through prayer, while remaining open to God’s will, whether it involves miraculous intervention or not.
Did miracles occur at either of these locations? I don’t know. Both locations did invoke a heightened spiritual sense that led us to prayer. If miracles have occurred there, I am not at all surprised, because God does many marvelous things. If they did not occur, my faith is undeterred.
We throw the word “miracle” around quite freely. It appears in mainstream articles all the time. When anything seems unexplainable, we read, “it must have been a miracle.” Maybe it was, and maybe it wasn’t.
Our faith needs to always be centered on one miracle. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died for our sins, and on the third day He rose from the dead and opened wide the gates of Heaven. His rising from the dead is the ONE miracle on which our faith is based.
If Christ did not rise from the dead, our faith is empty. If He did not rise from the dead, we as Christians, are false witnesses. If He did not rise from the dead, neither will we! If He did not rise from the dead, our faith is in vain (1 Corinthians 15:14-17).
I will conclude by telling you that my wife and I were deeply and spiritually moved by what we saw and experienced at both of these locations. Both places are clearly worth visiting. If you have the opportunity, you should go and see them yourself. Once you have done so, you can draw your own conclusions. I know this, I have experienced what I believe to be miracles in my own life. Perhaps you have too. I have no doubt miracles can and do happen. God never stops amazing us!
Heavenly Father, I have placed my faith in Jesus your Son. I believe with all of my heart that He died for my sins and He rose from the dead. I have no doubt in your awesome power Lord and I believe you can perform miracles. If and when you do Lord, help me to appreciate them as yet another display of your magnificent power. Amen!
AMDG
As always, I love to hear from you. You can email me by clicking here.
Have you witnessed a miracle or experienced a miracle in your life? If so, please share your experience below.
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Brian: I have been to Loretto Chapel and Chimayo many times while living in Colorado. Without a doubt, there is a very distinct “spirituality” about the overall Indian culture and these two places in particular. As to miracles, yes they do happen in my opinion. I believe all anyone has to do is deeply reflect on the circumstances of one’s personal testimony…..most testimonies will include a miracle to a large extent. God has been so good.
Gene
Amen!!!
Brian