Miracles

One thing I wasn't expecting about our time here in Tanzania is that the majority of Christians I know come from very different faith backgrounds than I do.  Many friends come from charismatic and Pentecostal churches and as such, they are much more inclined to talk about miracles, signs, dreams, prophetic visions, speaking in tongues, and hearing "a word from the Lord."

This is challenging to me, coming from a Christian Reformed heritage that really doesn't emphasize any of these traditions.  I certainly don't doubt the sincerity of these friends and I do believe God can and does act in a variety of ways, but none of these things have been part of my upbringing.  Talking about them is as new and foreign to me as everything else in Tanzania.

Consequently, when I lost my wallet,  many people started praying over it immediately.  I really tried hard to keep an open heart and mind even though my logical, reasonable, left-brain self knew it was gone.  This morning, I felt a prompting to return to the place I had last seen the wallet two days ago.  I didn't want to go, but because I felt this urging, I decided to obey.  On the way to the duka (store), I prayed hard for it to be there.  And I really, really believed that it could be...but it wasn't.  The employees of the duka were very friendly and sincerely sad that it is still lost, and I got to practice some Swahili with them, but the bottom line is that there was no miracle.

While sitting in the office of the TRA (DMV) for three hours, beginning the multi-step, multi-week process that needs to happen for me to get a Tanzanian driver's license, I reflected on the concept of miracles.  I will be the first to confess that my heart is hardened somewhat towards them.  Fifteen years ago, I pleaded with the Lord for my dad to be healed of his brain cancer.  I prayed every single Bible verse that applies to answered prayer:  James 5:15 "And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him."  Matthew 21: 22 "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."  Mark 11:24 "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

And yet he wasn't healed.  There was no miracle.  He died at age 52, leaving a hole that is still in my heart to this day.

But maybe some miracles are more subtle than others.  Maybe the miracle today is that I made it to and from the TRA office past four police patrols without being pulled over.  Maybe the miracle is that I was given grace and patience enough to deal with the line-jumping and the personal space violations that occurred all around me.  Maybe the miracle is that the car didn't break down and I didn't overheat.  Maybe the miracle is that someone got some desperately-needed money from my wallet.

Regarding miracles:  "I do believe.  Help me overcome my unbelief." (Mark 9:24)