We have all at one time or another wished for a miracle like those we read about in the Holy Bible. I have questioned why I can’t see or observe miracles like those. Then I stopped, looked around and thought to myself; “Everything around me is full of life. Most of the time it seems this life is in harmony with itself and we have no explanation for the majority of it, so it seems due to some miraculous power, a miracle.”

Most of us relate miracles to God or Jesus, when in actuality miracles occurred through others throughout the Bible. In 2 Kings 4:1-7, it tells of a widow about to lose her two sons because of a debt owed to a creditor. Elisha, a prophet, asked her what she has in the house, insinuating selling to pay off her debt. She says she only has a pot of oil. Elisha tells her in 2 Kings 4:3, “Then he (Elisha) said, ‘Go, borrow these vessels aboard of all thy neighbors, even empty vessels, borrow not a few.’” She went into her house with her sons with the vessels they had borrowed and they filled all with oil until there were no more vessels available. Wow! Elisha was used as God’s tool enabling the widow, through God, to increase her oil until it was a sufficient amount to sell. This enabled her to pay her debt, thus saving her sons. God used Elisha, a prophet, to orchestrate this miracle.

Another miracle, this one almost everyone who reads the Bible knows, is in Matthew chapter 14. Jesus was followed by a multitude of people to a deserted place. Jesus and his disciples were concerned for the multitude’s welfare because no food was available for them. Matthew 14:16-18, says “But Jesus said unto them, ‘They need not depart; give ye them to eat.’ And they (the disciples), say unto Him, ‘We have here but five loaves and two fishes.’ He (Jesus), said, ‘Bring them hither to me.’” It then tells of Jesus looking up to heaven, blessing the food, then breaking and distributing the loaves and fishes until, as described in Mat 14:21, “And they that had eaten were five thousand men, beside women and children.” The previous verse 20 even told of the leftover fragments filling 12 baskets. What a miracle, one little boy’s lunch of five loaves of bread and two fishes fed more than 5,000 with lots left over. Sound too great to believe?

I ask you, how many times a small insignificant gesture turned into a huge reward for you? Maybe an unexpected “thank you,” from someone touched your heart, or even an “I love you,” from someone special. You see that little boy’s lunch represents an insignificant item that was used to fulfill a grand void. That’s a miracle that if you’ll think about happens to you as well.

How many times have you sat down with a stack of bills and your checkbook thinking it’s not going to balance, but it did. God provides our needs, not necessarily our wants, as He sees fit. In James 1:5-7, it says, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think he shall receive of the Lord.” This tells that when we ask God for something, we need to be sincere in our faith, and not yield to our earthly desires.

So admit to God that you are a sinner and ask for forgiveness. Believe in Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection so that you can receive the gift of salvation. Then begin your quest, seeking all the Lord wants for you. Who knows, maybe the next miracle will be for you. God bless all.

Jeff Long lives in Salisbury.