Can it be True?!?!

What would you do if something amazing happened that you never thought could happen? Something you never even dared to hope for? Can you think of something right now? We're in a small Bible study group with a couple of other families, kids and all, going through the book of Mark. Because we've read the stories many times over the years, they've lost some of their shock value. But while we were discussing these stories, adults and kids - and kids come up with some interesting concepts - I thought of the shock and surprise the people hanging around Jesus must have felt. Stories of a wild, crazy man who was so strong that he could break off the chains he was bound with, a woman suffering for years - having gone to every doctor, tried every treatment - and a little girl who died. With only a word, a command, a man instantly becomes sane, well. By only touching Jesus' clothes, a woman is healed of her illness. With a touch and a word, Jesus brings a little girl back to life.

Can you imagine the amazement these people experienced? Have you ever witnessed or heard first-hand of something almost to hard to believe? This is our God! He's unpredictable, does things His way, different each time, and I think he takes pleasure in surprising us. I know I have a blast surprising my kids with something I know they've longed for.

I am in the midst of feeling amazed, surprised and I really find it hard to believe. Mason is toilet trained! We don't have to remind him to go to the bathroom, he goes on his own. He hasn't had an accident in two or three weeks. And he's even dry overnight quite often!

How often I have prayed and thought, 'if only Mason would be potty trained, even for only the daytimes', but after changing his diapers for nearly 11 years, that seemed pretty impossible. You know, it's not that I didn't believe it could happen, rather it's that we don't always get what we want, and we usually don't know what we really need. Don't get me wrong, I have begged and cried for this to happen. How often did the woman who touched Jesus pray that God would heal her? 12 years worth.

Once again, God is, I believe, grinning from ear to ear watching us in our amazement. We're getting excited over poop in the toilet and giving 'poop gifts'! Hearing squeals of delight, "I peed!! WOO HOO!!"

So why does God heal and give us these amazing surprises? Want to know how I understand it? (then keep reading... :)

We live in a broken world. It wasn't always that way. God created the heavens and the earth and designed it for His greatest creation, mankind. The first couple messed it up by doing the one thing God told them not to do, resulting the introduction of sin into His perfect creation. This also broke the relationship God had with the first man and woman. So since that time, He has been in the process of restoration. He gives us opportunity to a restored relationship with Him, the Father, through Jesus. In His death and return to life, Jesus took onto himself the sin of the world, all of it for all time. As we acknowledge this and accept it, the Father removes our sin - our shortfall of being able to attain perfection and holiness, no matter how hard we try - and as a result, accepts us into a relationship with Him. He replaces what He took away - sin - with Himself, the Holy Spirit. Thus we get a taste of what a complete relationship will be when He returns and restores the earth at the end of time.

I believe surprises like healing the sick and toilet training kids with special needs give us a glimpse of what it will be like in that day. We were living in a constant state of changing diapers (not baby ones anymore) and cleaning up horrific messes. Our world is in a constant state of things being as they should not be. I now have a stack of 'good nites' I don't need. The miracles around us reassure us that soon the world will once again be as it was designed. Little reminders that God is at work.

We still see many miracles happening with Mason. God is constantly at work. He's always there with us in the worst of times. There's an awful lot that I just don't understand, but I trust Him. he loves my kids more that I ever could. I trust Him.

Go and read Mark 5. Imagine yourself in the place of the person healed, or in the place of the people watching it. Watch what Jesus is doing in the stories. Look for what He's doing today. He's doing something amazing!

Let your mouth drop in amazement.......