Everyone Was Amazed

EVERYONE WAS AMAZED AND PRAISED GOD, SAYING, "WE HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS." Mark 2.12.

We are living in days when increasing millions all over the world are believing in ‘gods’ who are mere idols. They carry them on their shoulders, bow before them and worship them. They attribute ‘supernatural powers’ to them to answer their prayers. Multiplied millions go to special shrines and pay homage to their gods for the miraculous answers to prayers!

It amazes me that in such an age there can be a large section of the Church that call themselves ‘Liberal Christians’ and do not believe in the ‘supernatural’. They do not believe what even the 'idol-worshipers believe – that God answers prayers! They do not believe in the miracles of the Bible, even the virgin birth of Jesus or His resurrection from the dead. It makes one wonder why they should believe in a God at all, if He cannot and will not work miracles!

Jesus revealed the fundamental difference between man and God when He said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Mt 19.26).You should not be foolishly persuaded by those ‘Christian unbelievers’ to believe in a God who cannot work miracles. Instead, you should go back to the Bible again and again and discover and rediscover the almighty power of your God in the Old Testament and that of the Lord Jesus Christ in the New Testament.

When Jesus came and began performing miracles, healing and casting out demons, the people thronged around Him. The gospel writers mention in a number of places, “many believed in Jesus because of the miracles He did!” Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast (one time) and many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name (Jn 2.23). At the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go”. Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him (Jn 11.43–45).

One of our greatest problems today is that we conduct with great publicity ‘MIRACLE CRUSADES’ and proclaim that every illness will be healed and all woes will be gone! But unfortunately, nothing great happens! We also engage in similar ministries in smaller measure in all our churches and individually too. But people do not see the awesome power of God in our midst! Naturally, those who are disappointed do not believe. The unimpressed spectators go away disappointed! People need the LORD! But many are looking for the miracles they need!

Dear believer, It is about time that the unbelieving people begin to see incidents like what we read about in today’s text, “The paralysed man healed by Jesus got up, immediately picked up his cot, and walked away while everyone watched”. Only then will everyone be amazed and praise God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this”. It will happen only when we believers become committed and honest in seeking God and His power. The Lord has declared, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, "the LORD" (Jer 29.13,14).

Pray and practise with me: Dear LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O LORD. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy” (Hab 3.2). Amen.