THE LITTLE MIRACLE
17 One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk.
23 “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” 24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”
Mark 9:17,23,24
When I was about 9 years old, my parents asked me to be in a play at church. The story surrounded a group of women meeting at the home of Mary, Jesus’ mother. There sat this group of women, exchanging stories about their lives and their families. I played the part of a little girl whose kitten had died. She lived in the neighborhood and played with the children, including Jesus. During the play, the women talked with Mary about what had happened when Jesus was born. They had a hard time believing that Jesus was any different than any of their children. After all, every mother thinks there is something special about her child. Even when Mary told about the Magi and showed them the gifts that they brought to Jesus, they just couldn’t believe that Jesus was sent by God.
Near the end of the play, I was to enter with the kitten and show my mother, explaining that Jesus had brought the kitten back to life. It was a miracle! I learned my lines and practiced diligently with my own mother who played that part in the play. The thing is, when I came in on the night of the performance, even though I was supposed to be excited and happy, I cried instead. The miracle was so real to me that I cried about Jesus saving the life of my pet. At that moment, my encounter with Jesus was completely real to me.
Every year as we live through the miracle of the resurrection, I have that same reaction. I am brought to tears every year as I meet Jesus again and understand his sacrifice and his power.
Dear Lord, we thank you for the little miracles you perform in our lives every day. We thank you for the big miracle of our salvation made by the power of your sacrifice. Make the encounter completely real to us. Thank you, Jesus! Amen.
Sue Uzelmeier
