Jesus: The God Who Knows Your NameSample

Compassionate Physician

Do you believe in God-ordained, God-determined, God-directed acts of supernatural good? I’m asking about miracles: eye-opening, jaw-dropping, science-defying, faith-prompting, heart-touching, God-honoring events that no professor, preacher, physicist, or physician can explain. Do you believe in miracles? We long to believe in miracles. But we are hesitant. Careful. Cautious. Then again, what if the promise of miracles is true? What if the Bible stories have credence?

The miracles of Jesus were not occasional; they were constant. They were not marginal to his story; they were essential. They were not peripheral; they were vital activities upon which the very identity of Jesus was constructed (see Acts 2:22). Everyone who lived where Jesus had walked witnessed evidence of his miracle-working power. 

Would you be open to the idea of a miracle-working Christ? A miracle is a work of God wrought by God for a godly purpose. Miracles remind us that there is more to this life than what meets the eye (see John 20:30–31). They also show us that the whole universe is Jesus’ kingdom and is at his beck and call (see Matthew 6:13 NKJV).

Keeping our eyes on Jesus is key to experiencing his supernatural power. That’s what God wants us to do. We aren’t to be oblivious to the overwhelming challenges that life brings. We’re to counterbalance them with long looks at God’s accomplishments. God has recorded his accomplishments in Scripture. Read biographies of great lives. Ponder the testimonies of faithful Christians. Make the deliberate decision to set your hope on Jesus. Courage is always a possibility. Feed your fears and your faith will starve. Feed your faith and your fears will.

Maybe all you have is a crazy hunch that Jesus can help and a high hope that he will. You have nothing to give. But you are hurting. And all you have to offer him is your hurt. Maybe that has kept you from coming to God, but now you are taking steps in his direction. That is faith, and it is enough. Healing begins when we do something. Healing begins when we reach out. Healing starts when we take a step of faith. God’s help is near and always available, but it is given only to those who seek it.

If you are low on faith but need the healing power of Christ, perhaps you could rely on the faith of a friend (see Mark 2:1–12). As you reach out to Jesus with whatever faith you have, as friends help you draw near to Him, Jesus will respond. He can do the impossible for you, healing you physically, spiritually, and emotionally. He can walk with you through storms, and he can calm the storms. He is in charge of it all so your faith is well-placed and you can give him glory for it all. This is called worship. 

Worship is when you’re aware that what you’ve been given is far greater than what you can give. Worship is the awareness that were it not for Jesus touch, you’d still be hobbling and hurting, bitter and broken. Worship is the “thank you” that refuses to be silenced—a voluntary act of gratitude offered by the saved to the Savior. One day, when we are finally fully healed and standing in front of our Savior face-to-face, we will worship him.

Respond

In what ways do people experience Jesus’ power in their lives? What is the purpose of Jesus’ miracle-working?

How can your faith be an expression of God’s power in your life? How can godly friends draw you closer to Jesus?

What are the rewards of faith in Jesus as healer, Savior, and Lord? How is worship an expression of your faith?