MIRACLE

In a recent number of the "Sunday School Times" a story is told of an Eastern king which illustrates at once our delusion respecting natural processes, and also God's work and presence in them. The king was seated in a garden, and one of his counselors was speaking of the wonderful works of God. 

"Show me a sign," said the king, "and I will believe." 

"Here are four acorns," said the counselor, "will you, Majesty, plant them in the ground, and then stoop down for a moment and look into this clear pool of water?" 

The king did so, "Now," said the other, "look up." 

The king looked up and saw four oak-trees where he had planted the acorns. "Wonderful!" he exclaimed, "this is indeed the work of God."

 "How long were you looking into the water?" asked the counselor. 

"Only a second," said the king. "Eighty years have passed as a second," said the other. The king looked at his garments; they were threadbare. He looked at his reflection in the water; he had become an old man. "There is no miracle here, then," he said angrily. 

"Yes," said the other, "it is God's work, whether he did it in one second or in eighty years."

Sunday School Times.

God seems to do nothing of Himself which He can possibly delegate to His creatures. He commands us to do slowly and blunderingly what He could do perfectly and in the twinkling of an eye. 

C.S. Lewis, Studies in Theology.

An alcoholic became a believer, was asked how he could possibly believe all the nonsense in the Bible about miracles. "You don't believe that Jesus changed the water into wine do you?" "I sure do, because in our house Jesus changed the whiskey into furniture." 

R. Stedman, Authentic Christianity, p. 36.

Everybody in the hospital was awaiting a visit from Pope John Paul II. A doctor with a handful of paperwork took a seat in a wheelchair and busied himself with his notes. The Pope swept in, and blessed the doctor, who immediately stood up and walked forward. The devout in the Pope's entourage crossed themselves and rolled their eyes upward.

L.M. Boyd, Crown Syndicate, January, 1984.

Percentage of adults who mostly agree or completely agree with the statement, "Even today, miracles are performed by the power of God": 82. 

Princeton Religion Research Center's PRRC Emerging Trends, November 1988.