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It Took A Miracle…

    “It took a miracle to put the stars in
place; it took a miracle to hang the world in space; But when He saved my soul,
cleansed and made me whole; It took a miracle of love and grace.”  
     The chorus of the hymn John Peterson wrote intrigues me.  In this era of science and reliance on reason
coupled with sight, the presence of miracles is often not believed. Questions
arise in my mind.  What is a
miracle?  Why do miracles happen?  Who makes a miracle happen?  What does a miracle mean?
         I
go to the miracle of the Bible, God’s Word, to find answers.  The Bible is written by many men through the
ages and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The Word of God contains
stories of the wonders of God’s Creation and man’s struggles to walk with God
and without God. When we hold the Bible, we hold a miracle! A miracle telling
of the miracles performed by God, Jesus, prophets, and the disciples that we
might believe. 
         I
read a Merriam-Webster definition of a miracle is…

An extraordinary event manifesting divine
intervention in human affairs; an extremely outstanding or unusual event,
thing, or accomplishmen
t.
         Often
a miracle receives a shrug and labelled ‘a consequence’.  And life continues on for the person who
lives in a series of consequences. God is the answer to consequence!
     Give
thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles.
His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully.
His faithful love
endures forever.
  Psalm 136:4-5.
         Recognizing
God’s faithful love through His Works is a beginning to living an abundant rich
life.  In all new beginnings we encounter
each day as a new page. The first four words of God’s Word is truth –
In the beginning …God!  The more we learn about God,
the more we want to know.
Great is his faithfulness;
his
mercies begin afresh each morning.
Lamentations
3:23.
 
Hymns and praise songs draw us to God’s love and the blessedness of
worship in humbleness and joy.  Each hymn
and praise song is a personal testimony of love and adoration telling of our
Lord’s greatness.
         Why
does a miracle happen? John tells us in the 20th Chapter of John,
verses 29-31. 
Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you
have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” The disciples
saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in
this book. But these are written so that you may continue to believe that
Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will
have life by the power of his name
.
            One minister said, Joshua 10:13, “The sun
stood still.”
 2 Kings
6:6, “The iron did float.”  Psalm 48:14, “This God is our God.” “The sun stood still…the iron did float…this God is
our God.”
 Nothing is too
great for God. As A.W. Tozer said, “God
possesses what no creature can: an incomprehensible plenitude of power–a
potency that is absolute.
” God says this in Jeremiah 32:27, “I am the
LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for Me?”
     John Willard Peterson. Who is
he?  He was born in 1921, in Lindsborg,
Kansas. He was the youngest of seven children. His father died when John was
four years old. At the age of twelve, he gave his heart to Jesus Christ. He
loved God and music and desire was to serve God. He and two brothers formed a
gospel group in 1940 and sang for evangelistic meetings.  During WWII, he flew planes carrying supplies
over ‘the Hump’ into China from 1942-45.  The flights were often made at night, giving a
grand view of the stars in the Heavens. On the return he flew low over the
Himalayan passes and saw many poor villagers below. He recognized these are
God’s Children. He prayed these villagers knew Jesus.
         As I read these words, I realized I am
reading one of God’s ‘coincidences’. In 1947, I met J. Russell Morse, a missionary
from Lisu land, where Tibet and China meet, near the Himalayan Mountains, with
10,000- 12,000 foot heights.  Later I met
his three missionary sons, Eugene, Robert, and Eugene.  I saw photos of them walking and visitors
these same villagers that John Peterson prayed for.
         During
WWII, the world’s first strategic airlift began, bringing supplies to
China.  Seven hundred of the rickety
cargo airplanes crashed or were shot down. 
One thousand two hundred airmen died during the three years.   
         J
Russell Morse and his two older sons continued their missionary work, and were
contacted by the Allied Armed forces to organize and supervise ground search
and rescue operations of the pilots flying over that area.  Their knowledge of the people, languages and
geography of the “Hump” area made them ideal to serve their country.  They were each awarded the Bronze Star for
their service to their country. (https://asiastories.wordpress.com/category/bobby-morse/)
         J.
Russell Morse had no idea how his desire to serve the Lord when he was a boy
would be expanded to serving his country in God’s time. This expanded God’s
presence across the Himalayan territory among the villagers. God’s protection
is with us always.  J. Russell Morse quoted
this scripture to us in 1947 in Christian Service Camp.
Lo, and I am with you
always, even unto the end of the world.
” Matthew 28:20. 
         What
is God’s greatest miracle?  The last two
lines of the song John Peterson wrote tell us –
But when He saved my soul,
cleansed and made me whole; It took a miracle of love and grace.” 
How can a person’s life be changed to a loving, encouraging, trusting,
faithful, and gentle person from an evil-minded person who thinks only of
himself? 
Humble yourself before the
Lord, and He will lift you up in honor.
” James 4:10
      When I
look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars
you set in place—what are mere mortals that you should think about them,

human beings that you should care for them?
Psalm 8:3-4.
      Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged,
for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. Isaiah
41:10.


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        So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”
Hebrews 13:6, Psalm 18:46.





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