Law school taught me to argue my client’s situation by using logical and persuasive application of the facts to the law. A judge isn’t a genie in a jug who can simply grant the wishes of a Plaintiff. The Petitioner must have a legal reason for her request because this gives the court the legal authority to grant it. To some degree this training is helpful in my relationship with God; and in some ways it diminishes the fullness of the experience. For example, logical thinking reminds me that because I was adopted by God when I was born again, it confirms I have legal standing to ask Him for help. But my human logic does not always serve me well when it comes to the degree He desires to work miracles in my life.
To experience the full magnitude of God’s miracles, we must remember that His thinking is far above ours.
I am reminded of the story of Zacharias, father of John the Baptist. The Bible says:
“There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.
Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him,
“Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
And Zacharias said to the angel,
“How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
And the angel answered and said to him,
“I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did NOT believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.””
Luke 1:5-20
Zecharias asked a logical question: “How shall I know this? For I am an old man and my wife is well advanced in years?” But clearly his attitude was one of DOUBT—not WONDER. He was placing God in the box of human logic instead of allowing God to manifest His glorious power and great love through a miraculous answer to his prayer. I’m sure Zacharias and Elizabeth had prayed for many years for a child, and when God didn’t answer WHEN and HOW he thought God should, doubt crept in and lowered his expectations of God. We are much like Zecharias.
When our primary focus is on the “logic” of our circumstances—instead of the powerful capabilities of God—we rob ourselves of the full enjoyment of God’s miracles.
Zacharias looked at the circumstances FIRST, and what God can do LAST and—He probably thought this was logical. But if we know God for who He says He is, then there is nothing logical about placing circumstances above God. Even the contrast between himself—an old man and the magnificent power of Gabriel who stands in the presence of God—was lost in the boggy swamp of Zacharias’ compelling human logic.
My friend, when we are born again and we have developed the attitudes of Christ, we are empowered to live in the power of God instead under the restrictions of our small human brain.
Our decisions matter. Our belief in God matters. Zacharias paid the price for his unbelief because for nine months he was robbed of being able to speak, rejoice, and praise God for the blessing of the miracle of a child in his old age.
The fullest experience of any good thing is only realized when we can share it with others.
What is the greatest single event in your life? What has given you the most excitement and joy? Now—consider if you could NOT talk about it, share it, or praise God for it. You see, when we fail to believe in God’s amazing promises for our life, it doesn’t necessarily mean God will withhold miracles—rather, if we are doubting God—it may destroy our ability to fully enjoy them.
But there is even a greater application of this lesson. My friend, consider this sobering thought:
The greatest single miracle that any human ever experiences is when they surrender their life to Jesus and accept His gift of salvation, right? I mean, gosh—this miracle takes us from spiritual death to spiritual life! It is the best news we can ever tell anyone about! This is the greatest miracle! Has your unbelief or “human logic” taken you so far from the truth that you have lost the ability to fully enjoy this great miracle?
Has unbelief struck you dumb and rendered you unable to fully enjoy your own miracle of salvation by sharing it with others?
I promise you, if you will grow in your relationship with God and develop the attitudes of Christ—you will get your voice back and re-enter the joy of your salvation. There is nothing that compares to sharing the best news—the news of the Gospel of salvation.
