Over Christmas break I took Emily, my daughter, to see “Charlotte’s Web”. I must confess that I have never really read the book to completion. (If you have not already seen the movie, you must. I will probably own it as soon as I can.) In the movie the mother is concerned about Fern, her daughter. She is worried that she spends too much time with the animals. So she keeps questioning her doctor about it. When Charlotte begins spinning her web to read “SOME PIG” everyone thinks it is a miracle. Everyone it is, except Fern’s mother. She is convinced Fern has something to do with it. Now I must ask here, how could she possibly think that this little girl could handle such a delicate web and break it apart to spell words, and then put it back together again? The point here is that she could not believe, there had to be an explanation. What the doctor said has stuck with me…He asked “Do you not believe in miracles? Is not the spider’s web itself a miracle? This spider creates this haven for himself, a tool to capture his food, so delicate yet so resilient. No one taught it how to make it, it just makes it. Is this not a miracle?” If you have read the book you know that one of the lessons is to see the ordinary miracles that surround us.
I believe to see miracles. I want to see the miracles of Jesus. Dead raised, the lame walking, blind seeing. I do not want to live my life without seeing them. While I believe I will see them, God is every day building my faith in the miracles we over look. When someone faces tragic loss, and yet their heart is soft and joy comes back to their face, that is a miracle. When a child is born with all of the intricate detail that the human body encompasses, that is a miracle. When a child learns to walk or talk, that is a miracle. When someone who has been given every disadvantage in life, and yet is a success, that is a miracle. When you find love and laughter with a stranger and then create a friend, that is a miracle. When a spider spins it’s web, even without beautiful words, that is a miracle.
It is hard to see the pain on others from tragic loss, or who have just been beat up by life. It is hard to even understand why God has allowed it in the first place. Jesus said we would do these and greater things than He did, so why aren’t we seeing them? I do not know.
What I do know is that miracles surround us everyday, and like Fern’s mother, even when they are right in your face, some will choose to rationalize it away.
Maybe the greatest miracles are not the ones that are so apparent. Maybe the greatest miracles are the “ordinary” ones that we overlook everyday. Salvation, Love, Acceptance, and Forgiveness! The healing of a broken heart, the lifted head from defeat, friendship, family, and the strength we lend to those we love to face another day. That is a Miracle!
I do agree with you. We do tend to overlook the everyday miracles of life that God has created. Just being able to wake up every morning is a miracle in itself. Breathing is a lovely miracle. We are surrounded by the creations of God everyday and we need to take a moment at times and thank HIM and enjoy what has been given to us. The miracle for me is that even though I had a tragic lost last year, the miracle for us is that our faith has increased even more and our worship and praise is more deeper and passionate. And, we have become more desparate for Jesus than ever. We have been increased into another level with Jesus. ANd, that is a miracle to us. So, we thank God ever day for his protection, provision, and his Love. That is the miracle.
Ok Angel. Skip the movie and go get the book. There is a great hard back version with pictures that I have had for Zach since he was 2. We have read it cover to cover at least 3 times and excerpts over and over again. If you were nearby I’d lend it to you. We too went to see the movie and loved it. But there is just something about reading this book with your kids. So many things you can teach. Read the book, don’t wait for the movie.:)
This is from the family that lives for the next “read aloud” book.
Have a blessed day.