Miracle Prayers

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”  —Luke 22:42

I got caught a couple weeks ago. No, I was not shoplifting or speeding or anything illegal. I got caught unaware by emotional exhaustion. You know, too many ministry highs and activities without a break. We went from a Holy Spirit weekend, to Palm Sunday services, to Holy Week, to Easter, to a dinner theatre, to final preparations for a mission trip, and finally to Celebrate One, the National Day of Prayer and Unity Service. I tried to sneak in a vacation week, but the only week I had available was already booked with three ministry events and my wife only had one day off from work and babysitting duties.

Yes, I got caught. I came back from my “week off” not wanting or ready to do anything. I just couldn’t get my head or heart back into the game. I should have known better. I should have planned better. I should have taken better physical, emotional, and spiritual care of myself. I got caught feeling really down and having my own little pity party. An interesting thing happened on the way to Day-Two of my pity party. I watched a YouTube video of Nick Vujicic.

On Tuesday as I cleaned up my old emails, I came across a forwarded email from a missionary in Ecuador entitled, “This is wonderful.” I almost deleted it but paused long enough to watch the attached video. Nick Vujicic, an Australian young man born without arms or legs, does motivational speaking worldwide. At the end of his presentations, they place him on a small table and people (all ages and walks of life) come up and greet him with a hug. The video that I watched showed Nick speaking to German teenagers at a school assembly. He said, “I believe if God doesn’t give you your miracle, you are to be God’s miracle for somebody else.” You can check out more of Nick’s ministry at his website, www.attitudeisaltitude.com. How true, attitude is altitude.

I can tell you it’s hard to remain down when you see someone like Nick facing huge daily challenges with a smile. I thought of another famous Christian witness, Joni Eareckson Tada. Many of you may remember, in 1967 Joni Eareckson was injured in a diving accident at 17 years old, leaving her in a quadriplegic state with minimal use of her hands. She continues to be an inspiring witness to God’s love, but remains a quadriplegic. Remember, if God doesn’t give you a miracle, you may be God’s miracle to someone else. Joni and Nick have been God’s miracles to hundreds of thousands of people.

Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane prior to His arrest, prayed for a miracle. He prayed for God to take His cup of suffering away but then prayed for God’s will to be done. Jesus did not receive the miracle of deliverance, but Jesus became the miracle for everyone who will believe. Jesus was arrested, beaten, tried, and crucified, but three days later, He arose to be the firstborn again from the dead. Jesus literally became what He told Martha in John 11:25, “the resurrection and the life.” Jesus was the miracle of God’s grace for salvation and eternal life to all who believe.

Have you ever been caught in a time of discouragement, depression, or even despair? I believe it is absolutely right and good to pray for a miracle. If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can move mountains, but if you don’t get your miracle, maybe you should pray for a way to be a miracle for someone else. Even Jesus got caught. He told Peter, James, and John to come and pray with Him for He was sorrowful, even unto death. Jesus felt so bad He thought He might die or perhaps He felt so bad He wanted to die. Jesus’ miracle of deliverance did not come, but Jesus became the miracle of deliverance for others. What about you? How might you be the miracle for someone else today?