I’ve Never Seen a Miracle…

The bible records some of the most extraordinary things known to mankind. In the gospels alone we get a glimpse of Jesus’ ministry and all that he did during his time here on earth. It is absolutely astounding to read about some of the things that he did. John 6 tells about Jesus multiplying a small amount of fish and bread into a feast that feeds well over 5,000 people. Luke 18 tells about Jesus’ encounter with a blind beggar. During this interaction Jesus restores his sight. John 2 records the time where Jesus and his mother are at a weeding. The wedding host runs out of wine and Jesus takes six stone pots holding at least 120 gallons of water and turns them into wine. Mark 4 tells about the time Jesus was in the boat with his disciples when a huge storm hit. The disciples frantically run to him and tell him about the storm. Jesus gets up and merely instructs the waves and the wind to be still. To their amazement the waves and win do just as Jesus says. Matthew 9 tells about the time when Jesus healed a blind and a mute person. And don’t forget about John 11 when Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead.

These are all astounding events. They are absolute miracles. It is breath-taking to see what Jesus did during his earthly ministry. Miracle after miracle, healing after healing, Jesus showed his great power and that he was the Son of God by doing these great things. Today these things do not seem to be as common, at least in Western Christianity. I personally have never seen anyone be raised from the dead, have their sight restored, or once unable to speak who could later speak. But I still believe miracles happen and our happening in our society today. They just take a little different form than what we see in the bible, although there are accounts for those types of physical healings.

I have never seen a dead person raised to life, but I have seen a boy grow up with the odds against him and make something of his life. I have never seen a mute person’s speech restored, but I have seen a boy who not value himself found his identity and value in Christ. I have never seen a blind person receive their sight, but I have seen a boy’s perspective set heavenward despite the tough circumstances surrounding him.

I have never seen a miracle, but I have seen the way that God has moved in my life and that is nothing short of a miracle. I have seen God allow me to search for my identity in school, friends, girls, family, and basketball. It is noteworthy to say that I did all this searching to see each one crumble before my eyes. God has taken a boy, who statistically should not be anywhere close to where I am, and give him a future. Statistics show that most males who are abandoned by their parents fall victim to gangs, drugs, violence, prison, or death. This is what society said my future was. This is what the statistics promised for me. Going to college and graduating with a Bachelor’s only to continue in pursuit of a Master’s was simply out of the question. But God took my broken heart and gave me the drive and strength to persevere past the searing pain of my parents’ absence, past the neglect and rejection of my father, and past the overwhelming statistics to achieve both. God can take someone in all their inabilities and weaknesses and create world changers. We see this with the Apostles, Martin Luther King, Moses, and even Martin Luther. God takes broken people, restores their lives, and uses them to make a difference.

I have never seen a miracle. At least nothing like water being turned to wine or a blind man receive his sight again. I’ve never seen a dead man raised from the dead or a lame man pick up his mat and walk. But I’ve seen lives changed. I have seen enemies once out to kill each other become friends. I’ve seen people who failed in school go on to obtain Master’s degrees from prestigious schools and change the world. I have seen families restored and people brought to life spiritually and emotionally. These are nothing short of miracles. So though I have never seen a lame man walk or a mute person speak, I can still say I have seen a miracle because I have seen others and I have seen me.

Possible in the Impossible

I am less than three weeks away from graduating college. Now this may not seem like an extraordinary event because there are hundreds of other students graduating with me and thousands at schools around the world. But taking into account my upbringing, this event in my life is nothing short of a miracle.

When I was eight months both my parents abandoned me. My mom was a drug addict, unable to help herself, let alone her baby boy. Drugs absolutely consumed her life. Her addiction to them became so heavy that she was consuming them even during pregnancy. My dad, in an attempt to make a better life for himself, decided to leave her. After a few unsuccessful attempts to put me in a better environment, he gave up and moved on with his life. My mom was on a crazy downward spiral, spinning out of control with her drug addiction.

She took me to my grandparents, asking for help taking care of me so she could work out her drug addiction. This was supposed to be a week stay so she could get things straightened out. This week visit ended up turning into the rest of my life. I was now in a better environment. My grandparents made sacrifice after sacrifice to ensure that I would have a better future. They tried to overcompensate for the absence of my parents. They put me in school, attended my sports games and drum recitals, and offered support in any way they could. This was a great help and played a big part in where I am today. However, as I got older the absence of my parents, particularly my father, became more prevalent.
I struggled with my self-worth and identity. I did not understand how my parents could just walk out on me. I did not understand why they wanted nothing to do with me. After all I was their son, they bore me. Despite this they walked out on me. The fact that my mom did drugs while she was pregnant became even more damaging to me as a person. I was constantly in the doctor’s office. When I entered college I was informed that there was a chemical imbalance in my brain, most likely caused by the drugs my mother consumed during pregnancy. At this point I wanted nothing to do with my parents. They had chosen their paths. My mother decided that drugs were more important and my father simply decided that he wanted nothing to do with me.
I was forced to fend for myself. Statistics in California alone are not promising for kids with similar upbringings to me. Often times those that grow up without their parents are lost to drugs, violence, crimes, and death. The statistics are astounding. The foster care system is filled with kids who struggle with their identity and their purpose in life. Unfortunately not many of these kids actually go on to graduate high school, let alone college.

But the miracle is in the fact that I am now beating the statistics. I am less than a month from being the first male in my family to graduate college and will be pursuing a Master’s degree in the fall. My situation was impossible and not very promising. But through a series of events in my life that helped me find my identity and value in life, I was able to overcome the statistics and make something of my life. A big part, actually the majority of this, rests solely in the fact that God loved me enough to send his one and only son to die for my sins. My life has been changed because Christ gave up everything for me. All glory to God….

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