Someday when you get to heaven, you may get the great privilege to discover all the miraculous ways that God was working in your life. Not only to teach and grow you, but also to save you, that you would become what He has meant for you to be. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).
Look back on your life and you will see that you would not even be here, but if it were not for the grace of God. We need to thank the Lord for all He has done, even those things we do not even know about. “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name” (Hebrews 13:15).
One early Saturday morning I was driving on the freeway, on my way to do ministry at a prison in Norco, California. I was approaching the on-ramp to another freeway, and was in the lane that would merge over onto this on-ramp. There were not many cars out that early, but there was one ahead of me a few lanes to the left. It was a Minivan and it cut across several lanes in order to get onto the on-ramp.
The Minivan did not make it over in time. Right in front of me it plowed into the barrels that sit in front of the dividing wall for the on-ramp. The barrels were crushed and the whole back end of the Minivan lifted up high and to the right, directly in the path of where I was headed. I saw it all like it was happening in slow motion. Every one of us has such memories etched into their mind, things that will never be forgotten.
The on-ramp was a long one so I was still going very fast. Before I could do anything, something miraculous happened right before my eyes. I saw this Minivan lifted and shifted over to the right by several feet, the barrels returned to how they were, and the Van sped away as if nothing had ever happened. I want you to know that we have a heavenly Father who is with us. “…the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).
I was absolutely blown away by what happened. I rubbed my eyes wondering, “Did I really just see that? Did that really just happen?”. I did just see that. It did just happen. Friends, I want you to know that we serve a God who is able to save us. “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost…” (Hebrews 7:25).
The Lord does not always save us here, sometimes He brings us home. The decision is always based on His plan, never our merits. But know this, when He calls us home, nobody ever asks to return. “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).
Rarely do we get to see all that is in the spiritual realm around us. But on occasions, the Lord will allow our eyes to be opened, that we could see all that He is doing on our behalf. “…Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (2 Kings 6:17).
Never think that the arm of the Lord is not able to reach down and save you from whatever circumstance you are in. “And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Has the Lord’s arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not’” (Numbers 11:23). Friends, I want you to know, to this day His arm has not been shortened.
I don’t know the theology around how this Minivan was moved, but I can tell you the Lord’s arm reached down from heaven on that Saturday morning, and He saved me. We need to increase the limit of our faith to reach into the unlimited resources of heaven. We think a miracle will produce faith, but it is faith that produces miracles. Pray to the limit of the miraculous.
I want you to know, the Lord has saved you a hundred times over and you had no idea. You too have been saved by the grace of God. Learn to praise Him in the good times and the bad, knowing that He is doing a work in your life through every circumstance. I love the quote by Billy Graham, “I don’t know what the future holds, but I know Who holds the future”.
Trust in the Lord in spite of all you see in the natural, knowing that there is so much more that the Lord is doing for you, even to this day. “And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8).
Praying the Lord’s great favor over you,
Paul
“We think a miracle will produce faith, but it is faith that produces miracles.” Excellent insight, Brother. It reminds me of a saying I heard long ago, “If you pray in faith, you will not live in doubt.” The only thing that can limit the power of God in our lives, is our own lack of faith. He is the same yesterday, today and forever, so He’s still very much in the business of miracles, and that won’t change. But we must build our faith, praying always that God will strengthen it, in order to recognize the miraculous.
I’m so thankful The Lord stepped in with a miracle on that highway, sparing you and the occupants of that mini van, and bringing you safely back home to your family.
That is such a great saying you have, “If you pray in faith, you will not live in doubt.” I have been learning so much more on prayer this last year. Have been immersed in a book collection by EM Bounds on Prayer, it has seven books that are an exhaustive study and guide on praying. Bounds was an amazing man who had been a pastor during the civil war and never published anything, but his messages and writings were collected and published after he went to heaven. How much we need to learn to pray like your saying, without doubt, believing, expecting, walking in the spirit knowing that the Lord is real and His word stands, even to this day!
You have such a kind heart. In all this time I never thought about those in the minivan that were saved. I saw Him saving me. You are so spot on that He was saving them! Oh what a wonderful Jesus we have!