Hey Reader–
At the church we attend, they have a special service just for kids. After the sermon, the Director of Christian Education takes to the stage and asks the kids questions, then comes out into the audience so they have a chance to answer on the microphone.
Historically, Max has wanted to talk into the microphone. And the few times he had the chance, it did not go quite as planned.
But this week, something beautiful happened…
Maximus listens best when his hands are busy. Since he's autistic, he needs that to stay focused. During the sermon, he was working on a sticker book, and anyone around him would have thought he paid zero attention.
But when the director took to the stage and asked, "What happened in our Bible story today?" I turned to Max and asked him, and he had a lot to say!
I asked him, "Would you like to try to talk into the microphone today?"
His eyes lit up and he said, "Oh yeah!"
His hand shot up and it remained there until she approached him. She double-checked to make sure he wanted to participate, and what happened after that not only brought tears to my eyes but also brought cheers from those in attendance.
This church has watched Maximus for the past two years go from needing headphones constantly, to taking them off, to running around during service, to being in a wheelchair. And when he summarized the entire lesson in three sentences, I saw the true glory of God. Jesus said,
"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them" - (Mark 10:14)
You see, I walked away from God for three years because I had watched Maximus suffer in hospital beds without answers from doctors or prayers. But God never gave up on our story. Even if I had given up on God.
I had been praying for a miracle for years, not understanding that I was living inside a miracle already. Not understanding, until this very moment as I type these words, that I have experienced a miracle.
We were told Maximus would never speak. And then he does this.
I don't want to sit here and say that prayer caused him to speak, because that's not what happened here.
Instead, the miracle wasn't him speaking (because the assessment was clearly wrong in this instance.) The miracle was me coming back to God. And because I came back to God, I got to witness my little boy not just talk, but talk about Jesus.
If you find yourself praying for a miracle and waiting for one to happen, pause for a moment to reflect. I would hate for you to miss out on the miracle you are already living in because you're waiting on a different one.
Jesus performed miracles. And while the miracle I had been praying for was complete healing, the miracle I received was a bigger blessing than I ever could have imagined for myself and my family.
Ephesians 3:20 says He's able to do immeasurably more than we even ask or imagine. That's exactly what He has shown me.
P.S. — What have you been struggling with in terms of faith? Reply and tell me how I can pray for you.
