Believe In Miracles

John 5: 5-9 (NLT)

One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, ‘Would you like to get well?’ ‘I can’t, sir,’ the sick man said, ‘for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.’ Jesus told him, ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!’ Instantly the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking!

I recently heard a story from our community at Christ Church Summerfield. Someone had invited their mother - a self-proclaimed atheist - to the carol services at Gas Street and Christ Church this Christmas. They had been praying for their mum to know Christ for over three years. The mum attended both services and a week later accepted the invitation to attend the Alpha course.

This is just one of many stories I have heard of how God answers prayers for salvation, sometimes years later.

In John 5, Jesus heals a man who has been sick for 38 years. The man, understandably, did not believe he could be well again. What happens next is miraculous - Jesus heals him instantaneously and the man rises to his feet and begins to walk. 

38 years is a very long time. Longer than I have lived! When I put myself in the shoes of the sick man in this passage, I empathise with his loss of hope. It can be hard to remain steadfast in prayer and patient in waiting for an answer when we feel rejected or ignored. But what Jesus demonstrates here and what we see throughout Scripture, is that it is never ‘too late’ for God to move in answer to our prayer. The same God that healed the sick and gave sight to the blind can answer your prayers today. Have faith and remain expectant to see what he can do. 

Do you still believe in miracles? Are there any prayers you’ve stopped praying because you haven’t received your response? Is there a person you have been praying for a long time? Are you losing hope? Take a moment today to begin praying for them again. Ask God to restore your faith in his willingness to answer your prayer. 

Prayer - Lord, I’m sorry for where I have not believed in your miracles. Please restore my expectancy for answered prayer.