Written By: Pastor Lisa Haris
I want to share a different perspective than what one might usually hear concerning the
miraculous. One of the things that I am convinced of is that we all experience miracles,
a measure of divine intervention, on a daily basis, yet many times we fail to perceive them
as such. You see, it’s typical human nature to downplay the small things…the things
that seem insignificant on the surface. What we do tend to recognize are the big
things…the things that stand out from the ordinary. We have become accustomed to
evaluating miracles based on the size of their impact on our lives…by their ‘noticeable-
ness’. We might call it the ‘wow’ factor. But it is my belief that the Lord does not perform
what we might term big, medium or small miracles per say. As I see it a miracle is a
miracle!
One definition given for a miracle is:
“A surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and
is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency”
Notice that in this definition it portrays a miracle as something that is ‘surprising’? So, it
would seem then that if it doesn’t catch us off guard—if it doesn’t have the ‘shock and
awe’ factor—it doesn’t fit the bill as a genuine miracle? I disagree…
Another definition of a miracle is:
“An extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs”
I would agree that the miraculous is extraordinary in nature…that’s what makes it
miraculous! It is God’s gracious intervention in our ‘human’ affairs. In our humanness
we are weak but through His intervention we become strong (2 Corinthians 12:10). If we
are recipients of grace, we are experiencing the miracle power of God because grace by
biblical definition is divine intervention. Sometimes though, we tend not to see God in our
situations right away but the timing of our perception does not negate it’s miraculous
nature. It’s still a miracle…it’s still divine intervention. We simply take it for granted
because it didn’t fit our definition, our perception, of a miraculous event or act. Like the
two men on the road to Emmaus, Jesus is walking along side of us, ministering to our
hurt and despair, but our eyes haven’t been opened to ‘see’ it yet (Luke 24:13-32). Or
like Jacob at Beth-El who simply failed to perceive that God was in that place with him
until God revealed it to him in a dream (Genesis 28:16). We are just like that many
times too! God is working in our lives but we just don’t see it! But ignorance of the
situation does not demote its status from the miraculous!
As a born again believers our lives are touched every single day by divine intervention
whether we know it or not. Sometimes it’s too simplistic. We rejoice over the creative,
the financial, and the healing miracles that we receive…which I agree need to be
celebrated…and I am so thankful when the Lord does these things…but I also believe
that we must learn to walk in an attitude of thankfulness and gratefulness recognizing
that in our everyday walk with the Lord there are things going on—divine
interventions—that we have yet to perceive.
As a child I was raised in a religious home and attended a typical mainline church. It
wasn’t until my teen years that I came to know the Lord and was born again. My
spiritual journey was rich. I learned a lot of great things. But I must confess that it wasn’t
until a series of life events that prompted me to inquire of the Lord that I began to see to
see things in this way.
In 1994 my daddy had a stroke. At that time a series of tests revealed that he had had
an undetected heart attack approximately 6-8 years earlier. The doctor’s prognosis was
not good. The doctor said that throughout his many years of experience dealing with
heart attack patients, he had seen better looking hearts in people who had passed away
from massive heart attacks. He was shocked that he was still alive and as active as he
was. My daddy did not go to be with Jesus until 2003 and up until the last 8 months of
his lifetime here with us, he was well and able in all aspects of life. Every day for 15
years my dad was a walking miracle. I’m sure you would agree with me that it is only
through divine intervention that a man can be well able and live with less than half of
their heart still functioning. My daddy never had a pace maker, heart transplant, or
medical intervention in that timeframe because he didn’t even know he needed it! Every
day from the time of the undetected heart attack really was a miracle for him and us. An
unperceived miracle!
In 2004, after hitting black ice and taking out a power line pole, paramedics arriving at
the scene of my accident said that they expected to find a dead person. They had
witnessed accident scenes, where vehicles with a lot less damage, had taken the lives
of the occupants. Not only was I alive but I was coherent. Over the years as I have
continued to deal with this (while still believing for total restorative healing in my body), I
have learned, through multiple tests and examinations, and by talking to many doctors,
that in most cases similar to mine, people that have had similar diagnosis, usually go
into seasons of major depression and have in some instances even taken their own
lives in order to escape the chronic and painful effects in their body. But through divine
intervention I can testify that I have not had to deal with any of those added issues. PTL!
Everyday there are miracles in our lives. But do we perceive them?
I believe that in most cases when we ask for a testimony of miracles many of us expect
to hear about the healing miracles, the creative miracles, the salvation miracles, or the
financial miracles—which as I stated before—they need to be celebrated! But may I
present to you today that there are divine interventions taking place in your life every
single moment of every single day. The key is learning to perceive them. It’s a miracle
that many of us can even walk and have peace in the midst of the things that affect our
lives. You see, the day of salvation and every day thereafter is a miracle because
divine intervention is a natural way of life from that day forward.
So I challenge you today to be aware. Be thankful. Be grateful. Recognize that because
the Lord is involved in your life you are experiencing miracles every day. Not only that
but, you are a walking miracle from the day you chose to make Him Lord and Savior in
your life.
Blessings,
About Pastor Lisa:
Pastor Lisa has been a teacher of the word for 25+ years teaching in children’s, youth,
young adult, and ladies ministries. She has been co-pastoring in all aspects of ministry
along side of her husband at Bethel Christian Church in Cottam for 18 years. She has
been children’s ministry co-ordinator for 13 years. Pastor Lisa has a passion to help
train and equip the body of Christ through teaching the full counsel of the Word. Pastor
Lisa has a prophetic mantel. She has a passion for worship, seeing marriages prosper,
and experiencing the body of Christ fulfill their destiny in bringing His kingdom here on
earth. Pastor Lisa and Pastor Jason have been married for almost 21 years and have
two children Micah (18) and Madeline (16) who are both gifts from the Lord. Pastor Lisa
is currently working towards completing her masters in ministry. She lives to learn,
enjoys the outdoors especially the beach, and spending time with family.
Uniquely Yours Ministries 