Missing Miracles

“‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Jesus asked him. The blind man said, ‘Rabbi, I want to see’” (Mark 10:51, NIV 2011).

Jeremy is the dreariest patient I have ever managed.  He has a right to his dreariness with his wife leaving him, no job, recent cancer, sister in jail, mother insane. Each time he comes to me, he keeps his eyes on the floor and shakes his head at how horrible life is. On his most recent visit, just before Christmas, God’s Spirit prompted me to ask him,
“Jeremy, what you need is to turn to God.”
“I’ve tried that. A preacher friend came over many times and tried to help, but it just didn’t work.”
He told me more troubles.
“Jeremy, you need to turn to Christ.”
“That just hasn’t worked for me. What I need is a miracle.”
Okay.
I placed my hand on his knee.
“Let’s pray for a miracle. Dear God, please bring a miracle into Jeremy’s life so that things may be better for him and so that he can know that you care.”

I don’t do this very often or very lightly. I’m always afraid that if I pray for a miracle and God doesn’t show up, the missing miracle will destroy hope and push the one in need further away from the God who failed.
But, I didn’t pray for Jeremy’s miracle this time to make him feel better or to flip a magic switch to make God do something grand. I honestly prayed for the miracle because, at that moment, God told me to do so.  I have no idea what God is planning. I do know that He loves Jeremy enough to have entered a stinky stall as a helpless baby and then live and die through all that came after. I do know that God has the power to completely transform Jeremy’s life into one of hope and joy.
What if God doesn’t come through this time in the way I asked? That’s God’s business.
Just as God has had me care for Jeremy’s illness and pray for the miracle, God may prompt others to work in his life to make that miracle a reality; or He may just do it on His own; or Jeremy may never let Him in. That’s God’s business.
My business is to love Jeremy by working for his good, to listen for God’s whisper and to obey.

Dear Father,
Please bless the patients you place before me. Keep me attuned to your Spirit as you work through me for their good.
Amen