Deuteronomy 4: 32-35 For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it? Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live? Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the Lord he is God; there is none else beside him.
I was listening to Deuteronomy 4 when these verses jumped out at me. I have listened to them repeatedly over the last few weeks so that they would imprint on my heart. What mighty, amazing things the children of Israel saw when they were in the wilderness. Sadly, by this time, the generation that walked on dry ground through the Red Sea had died. But they made sure to tell their children all about it, and those children grew up seeing over and over how God took care of them. Shoes that never wore out. Daily food from heaven. Battles won that, humanly speaking, should have been lost. They didn’t have to look far for miracles and for signs of God’s constant presence and protection.
Now think about your life. What have you seen God do for you? What prayers has He answered for you? Have you ever watched Him do something that only He could do? I want to tell you about what I saw God do just a few months ago.
Thursday, October 6. It started with an email. Subject: My sister’s name. My husband wrote one line. “Call your mom. Your sister has been in an accident.” My sister, a high school freshman, had been hit by a car as she walked to her bus stop. My parents were on their way to the hospital. At that point, they didn’t even know how badly she was hurt. I felt like my world was crashing down around me, but I knew there were people praying, even at that moment, for my whole family.
For three days, my sister was unconscious. She had a traumatic brain injury, several small brain bleeds, a broken bone in her nose, bruising around her eye, and road rash on one side. It could have been so much worse, but it was still bad. My sister, who had been so full of life and energy ever since she was born, was in a hospital bed with breathing tubes and IVs. Not moving. Not awake. For three days.
Many times, I thought, “I know God can work a miracle. I know He can bring her out of this. I know He has that power. But will He? Can He, really? And why would He do that for her, for my family? There are other people out there that He hasn’t healed.” It was a battle. All I could pray was, “Please Lord. Please.” It’s comforting, now, to think about Romans 8:26 which says the Holy Spirit intercedes for us when we don’t know what to pray.
Sunday, October 9. I was making the hour drive to the hospital, listening to songs that I would then turn into prayers. In Jesus Name (God of Possible) by Katy Nichole says, “I pray for your healing. That circumstances would change. I pray that the fear inside would flee in Jesus’ name. I pray that a breakthrough would happen today. I pray miracles over your life in Jesus’ name… He’s the God of Possible.” Arise My Love by Newsong says just that, “Arise my love!” And though I knew that song was talking about Jesus rising from the grave, I was praying that my sister, too, would rise from the grave-like hospital.
I am here to tell you God worked miracles that day and has worked miracles every day since. For three days, my sister was unconscious. She woke up that Sunday. She tried to smile and give us a thumbs-up. My mom and I were in the room with her early that morning. We could feel the comfort of the prayers of God’s people all across the country. She started to make great progress. Within a week, she was moved out of Pediatric ICU into a regular hospital room. One week later, she was moved into rehab. And a week after that, she was released and sent home. She was back in school one month after the accident. And in December, she was able to dance the Christmas story with her ballet school. My sister is a walking miracle, and that’s what I tell anyone who asks.
Now that I have shared with you the great things that I have seen God do, I have two challenges for you and for me this month. First, let God work through you to encourage someone else. Don’t underestimate how much a simple card, phone call, or text message means. Even if it goes unanswered, you may have brought a smile to someone who is hurting. Second, think of the times you have seen God work. Find some way to memorialize that. Write it down, share it with a friend, draw a picture. Give God the glory He deserves. There will be times when we don’t understand what He is doing in our lives and when we have to trust Him blindly. In those times, we can look back and remember what He has done before. He has the same power to do it again.
I have seen God do great things before, but I always felt like I was on the sidelines. Since October, I’ve seen Him up close and personal. I’ve seen Him answer my own prayers. I’ve seen Him work through His people to encourage and help my parents. I have felt the peace and comfort He gives when the world seems to be crumbling. And I can say with Moses, “Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else” (Deut. 4:39)