Monday, October 27, 2008

Does God Still Do Miracles?

Yep. But truth be told I usually so busy with my schedule that I walk right by them. Having the chance to travel to India a few times each year I have heard and witnessed what most anyone would consider a miracle. This past summer I met a young man that had been paralyzed from an accident when he was a very young boy. He could not walk and was completely dependent upon others to care for him. A couple of years ago his mother and father had become Christians. They had invited their son to come to church with them. They prayed for healing and he felt warmth returning to his legs. The next week at church they prayed again and within moments he was able to stand and support his own weight. Third week. They prayed and he walked out of church. No doctors. No surgery. No hocus pocus. God heard their prayers. Intervened and he was healed.

Call me a skeptic but when I watch the televangelist "heal" someone and then ask for people to send him money I have my doubts. Could it be a miracle. Maybe but I doubt it.

Why is it that I don't see the miracles of God in my own backyard? Am I too self-sufficient? Too busy? Or just not willing to give credit where credit is do? Have I become so arrogant in my faith and abilities that I don't need God to intervene?

The last several months we have needed to adjust our spending so that we can not only keep the doors open but maintain our financial integrity. Consequently, a couple things we wanted to get done this year was going to have to wait until more money came our way. We decided programming was of the highest priority so any building improvements needed to be placed on hold.

Our parking lot was one of these causalities. Last year, Josh Walk was kind enough to bring his company, Cutting Edge in and place four huge drywells in the parking lot to capture any water that was coming off MC3 or our parking lot. We were hoping to have the lot paved this year. Especially, after last winter people were losing boots, shoes and small cars as they became "stuck in the mud."

A couple of weeks ago Josh gave me a call and asked if we had gotten the parking lot paved. I shared that we had not and that I had resigned myself to the reality that we were going to need to deal with a "muddy parking lot" again this winter because we did not have the $18,000 required to pave it. He shared that he would be willing to bring over a couple loads of limestone and regrade the lot. I shared that we could not spend any money ($5000 plus for limestone and grading) but appreciated the offer. Josh responded that he was not asking me to pay for anything. Just, if it would be okay for his company to come over and do it for free.

When I pulled in to the lot I felt like God was telling me "here is your miracle." I know it is not to the same magnitude as some regaining their ability to walk, to be cured from a disease or to gain their site but I was standing on holy ground. I had a need that I could not produce through any of my efforts. Without God, it was not going to happen. God blessed Josh's business all summer long and he wanted to pass that blessing along. My faith grew that day and I am trying to become more dependent upon God so that I can give credit where credit is do.

What was inspiring was as I began to look at how God's hand was directing my life he started showing up. Just last week Mike Coleman of Finer Finishes called and asked if he and his wife could get a key to MC3. They wanted to come over and clean the concrete floor, wax and buff the cafe floor. Last year they had not only poured the concrete floor but stained it to look like marble! This past Monday I walked in MC3 to a shinny new floor. It not only made me happy but it will tell our guests that they are loved.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I don't know how to say this without sounding silly, but I can't wait to see the parking lot limestone! I mean, the mud really did start to "come alive" last year. Some folks who didn't personally experience the vast expanse of mud might not think that this is much of a big deal, but I know, it really IS a big deal! Thank you SO MUCH Josh Walk and the crew from Cutting Edge! This story really brightened my day, and I bet I'll think of this story every time I get to the parking lot at MC3.