Our God is a God of Miracles

 Wayne and I had to speak today in our Sacrament meeting.  Wayne shared this thought on struggles, obstacles and how our God is a God of Miracles....

"I was often asked the question - If God loves us so much and is so powerful, then how could he allow problems and suffering and sin in the world and in our lives.  

 

I think one of the reasons that the Savior chose to leave in his resurrected body the marks in his hands and his feet and in his side was to remind us that painful things happen even to the pure and perfect. Signs, if you will, that pain in this world is not evidence that God doesn’t love you - It is quite the opposite - His love is whole and complete

 

As we study the scriptures, maybe God does his best work through – and our greatest growth comes - from seemingly hopeless situations.

 

There are at least as many stories of the Savior’s apostles questioning, stumbling, doubting and failing as there are of clarity, certainty, and perfection. 

Perhaps the former is more a part of our spiritual growth than we realize

 

In the scriptures, we read about people who all faced seemingly hopeless situations.

 

Joseph was betrayed by his brothers and put in prison – a hopeless case.  

Moses was cornered on the banks of the Red Sea with the most powerful army in the world breathing down his neck.  

Gideon was 300 against 120,000.  

Nephi and his brothers couldn’t get the plates. 

David stood across the valley from a blood-thirsty giant.  

Ester was a woman trying to gain a word with a prideful king.  

Daniel’s roommate was a lion.  His friends were thrown in an oven.  

Jonah stunk at his job and got stuck in a whale.

Peter denied. 

Paul was imprisoned. 

The 5,000 had no food. 

Lazarus was dead.  

Alma was a priest of King Noah and ran for his life. 

Timothy was too young.  

Abraham was too old.  

The youngest son squandered his inheritance.  

The walls of Jericho were too strong, and 

Jesus Christ was scourged, crucified, and placed in a tomb, burying along with Him all hopes of the resolution that had been hoped for, and prophesied about for thousands of years.

 

It would be easy to believe when reading these stories that all hope was lost.   But when it seems that all other options have been used and when circumstances couldn’t get worse, when everything else has failed, that is when we find out that our God is a God of hope and miracles.

 

You see, Joseph became second in command to pharaoh – the Red Sea parted.  Gideon won without lifting a weapon.  Laban lost his head. David beat Goliath.  Ester spoke, and the king listened.  Daniel tamed the lion. The oven felt like room temperature.  Ninevah repented.  Peter became the rock.  Paul rejoiced.  Twelve basketfuls were left over.  Lazarus arose.  Abinidi preached and Alma baptized multitudes. Timothy built a church – Abraham built a family.  The youngest son came home to a party. The walls of Jericho came tumbling down – And Jesus Christ was resurrected, defeating sin and death, and giving us hope that we through Him can overcome any and every obstacle."