I often laugh at radio and TV commercials when women (or men) talk about their new weight loss and say, “I have my life back.”  The commercial writers want to convince us that I cannot have a real and honest life, unless I am a size 2 with no sags or wrinkles.  

The Christian songwriter and singer, Michael Card, has a teaching on Jesus’ miracles.  Using a study in  Jesus’ years of ministry, Card concludes that Jesus often down plays healingsand miracles.  Not with standing, Jesus placed the emphasis on the need for changes in the life of the person who was healed.  Again and again, Jesus exhibited no need for “the thrill of the exhibition.”  When he healed the ten lepers, Jesus sent them to see the priest.  By the time they appeared before the priest, they had all been healed.  

When Jesus healed a blind man using mud, he told blind man to go and wash.  The man was healed but Jesus was no where in sight.  However, after the healing, Jesus sought the man out to insure that his spiritual man was healed.

There are perhaps two conclusions we can reach from the way that Jesus handled miracles.  First, miracles should be such a common place thing in a Christian’s life that we are not overly impressed by miracles.  Years ago, comedian Lilly Tomlin’s attended a Katherine Kuhlman meeting.  Miss Kuhlman was known as a person through whom the Lord performed miracles and healings.  Ms. Tomlin said, “I’m embarrassed to say that there were so many miracles in those four hours of the meeting that I got bored.”  Perhaps, this is a more healthy attitude than we would care to admit.

The second way to handle miracles may be to look beyond the miracle itself to see what God desires to do in the hearts of people.  His goal is conforming us into the image of Christ.  He will use many features from his tools box to reach that lofty goal in our lives.  When people who are mentally challenged accept the Lord, they don’t expect God to heal their minds.  They do desire to have God change their lives, making them into faithful disciples.

Any person with an ounce of self-esteem does not need to have a perfectly sculpted body to have a life.  In the same way, as wonderful and needed as miracles may be, the Christian must always be on guard to see how the Lord can redeem our lives, teaching them His will and changing us into His image.

What miracles have you seen in your life?  What was God trying to teach you through the miracle?