When I was new Christian, I often wondered at the seeming lack of dramatic miraculous happenings. Healings. Exorcisms. Resurrections. They are talked about so much in the New Testament and often in the Old Testament that it appeared to be a major disconnect. And today, I still regularly hear people wonder at this very same thing.

And sure, there are still places and situations where these miraculous things take place. But they are far from the norm and though I’ve heard the arguments that it’s our national church’s deficiency to blame, I’m very much unconvinced.

What to me, is more surprising is that most of us miss the truly incredible, totally wild, thing that happens every day: the forgiveness of God’s enemies and their immediate resurrection from spiritual death into spiritual life. Then, their subsequent ascent into submission to Christ.

In Luke 5:20-24 Jesus is in a crowded room teaching. A paralyzed man is unable to reach him for healing, so some friends lower him through the roof. Most of us know the story. When the man finally reaches Jesus, this is what the scripture says:

And when he saw their faith, he said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, "Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"—he said to the man who was paralyzed—"I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home."

Now, the statement Jesus makes is not primarily that forgiving sins is greater than healing of the physical body. It’s more about his own supremacy. But the point comes across anyway.

We are apt to look around and feel a lack of legitimacy when we don’t see miraculous happenings around us. But I think that if Jesus would respond to this right now, he would marvel at how quickly we overlook what is truly impressive. I think he would say something like, “You want to see miracles, but you’ve missed the greatest miracle I’ve performed. Your very own salvation.”

I’ve heard it often argued that it is unfair for unbelievers today because Jesus and the disciples are not here doing the kinds of signs and wonders that were happening in biblical times. That perhaps if they were, those who will not believe on the testimony of God’s Word would believe. Of course, we know from scripture that those who will not believe the Word, won’t believe miraculous signs either (John 11:11).

Now, some believe that these signs are still happening today somewhere and that we don’t see them here in our country for one reason or another. However, I subscribe to the belief, which I believe to be a biblical one, that we do not see these kinds of signs today for precisely the same reason.

The signs that were performed in the days of the early church were so that we today might believe. If the kinds of signs seen in the early church continued today, it could easily be argued that the bible itself were somewhat null, since there were another God-breathed source of spiritual revelation.

Take a look at a couple of the concluding verses in John.

John 20:30-31:

“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

The signs performed by Jesus and his disciples weren’t a pattern for the way that people would believe the Gospel, rather they were the sign that we should believe the Gospel—even today on the very same testimony and sign.

God’s word in the bible is the sign for believers and unbelievers alike.

One of my favorite passages of scripture is when, to Mary and Martha’s dismay, Jesus allows Lazarus to die (John 11:1-16). I love it because it’s one of the clearest places in the Bible where God’s purpose and man’s happiness collide. For the sake of God’s glory, Jesus would allow Mary and Martha and Lazarus to suffer deep remorse, for a time, so that his glory would be seen.

Within that passage though, there is a very brief quotation from Jesus that always gives me chills. I’m not sure exactly why. It comes right before Jesus and his disciples finally leave for Lazarus’ grave. John 11:11:

“Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.”

To everyone else, Lazarus was absolutely dead. But before this ever happened, Jesus knew that he would be going to restore him to life. For sinners who don’t yet know Jesus, the bible describes them as ‘dead’ spiritually. For all intents and purposes they are just that. But those who will believe, Jesus knows. From his perspective, they are like Lazarus. Merely asleep, waiting to be awakened.

After Jesus fed the five thousand, people the people who ate and had their fill followed him around. He was hidden and they sought him out. These were his words to the crowd:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves…”

This obviously isn’t seen as a good thing. Yet, there’s a whole chunk of the church that believes that having faith in Christ will ease their financial woes, resolve marital problems, bring home estranged children and right wrongs.

In subtle ways, even parts of the non-prosperity gospel church teach their congregations these things.

It’s even possible they might be true. But Jesus condemns this. He performed a great miracle in multiplying the food. A sign that he was the messiah and that salvation awaited those who would trust him for it. But although these people saw it, they ignored it and allowed their awe to be on their filled bellies.

I think this is a gut check. Not just for prosperity-Christians either. God has performed an outrageous miracle in producing new life in spiritually dead vessels. But I think that we sometimes have the tendency to focus on the perks associated with that over the miracle that points us to an all satisfying God.

Perhaps for overcome habits or destructive tendencies. More rewarding work or better friendships. But even though these may be amazing byproducts of a powerful miracle, they were never the point. God, in all his glory was.

I never stopped to think much about the fact that Jesus commanded his disciples to gather up the leftover pieces of bread and fish after he’d multiplied them for the five thousand.

John 6:12:

“…Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, "Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.”

It seems like, if there were ever a time where wasting food didn’t matter, it would be this one. I mean, they started with some barley loaves and two fish and Jesus turned it into enough to feed thousands, then still had twelve baskets of food left over.

Jesus created food out of thin air, then determined that it was crucial that none be wasted.

I’m sure there’s a lot to think about here. But my own first thought was about stewardship. Especially as Americans. We really are, in some ways, in a kind of Jesus-feeding-the-five-thousand scenario. This little fledgling country in just a few hundred years exploded into one of the most powerful, prosperous countries on the planet.

But now, in so many ways (from portion sizes, to the number of cars on the road), as a nation we’re really not treating the prosperity with the kind of reverence that Jesus treated the miracle.

It really makes you think. Waste, even when it doesn’t hurt anyone, isn’t something to be proud of.

Charles Spurgeon says in All of Grace":

“It would be a very wonderful thing if one could stand at the foot of the Niagara Falls, and could speak a word which should make the river Niagara begin to run up stream, and leap up that great precipice over which it now rolls in stupendous force. Nothing but the power of God could achieve that marvel; but that would be more than a fit parallel to what would take place if the course of your nature were altogether reversed.”

We easily and often forget that sanctification is not our duty. In fact, we don’t really have the capacity to change our hearts at all—the necessary condition of real sanctification. Rather, it’s God’s work in the Holy Spirit.

No more could someone stand at the foot of the Niagara Falls and will the water to go back up, could a man stand in a mirror and will himself into a sanctified state.

I suppose in most ways, that’s a pretty encouraging reminder.