Sunday, July 18, 2010

A Little Miracle Soon Forgotten

Why is it that we so easily forget when God has answered our prayers?

Even though billions of answered prayers and countless miracles have happened over the course of human history, I bet we've only recorded 0.01% of them.

And, even when they're officially documented (as things started to be, especially in the 1800's and 1900's), I'm sure you still doubt.  Unless you've witnessed the miracle yourself, it is so easy for us to dismiss the real accounts of others.

But maybe this is because miracles--by their very nature--are meant to be personal.  God truly does them out of love for us, and what could be more personal than the expression of love itself from God who is Love?  It is no wonder that a miracle can be best appreciated by the one to whom that love is directed.

Today I would like to share with you a beautiful story of a miracle.  And although this miracle was not directed to you personally, may it bring you hope and soften your heart to be more like God's.

But this little miracle will soon be forgotten.  It will be forgotten one day because it happened (not to a famous person or in an a flashy, showy method so that the world might see) but in the simple and humble body of a family dog.

Mika is an Alaskan Malamute owned by my friends Lija and Matt.  To the world, she is just another dog.  But to Lija and Matt who love her, she is everything.  Yes, this miracle is personal to them.

I believe that God performed this miracle because of His great love for Lija and Matt and for His mercy for all of His living creatures, which means that He does indeed have a very tender spot on his heart for little Mika.  Yes, even the smallest things (in the grand spectrum of time) have great meaning to Our Lord who loves us...in every detail.

Mika was diagnosed with a legion of cancer on her leg several months ago.  The lump was large, and she was given a very short time to live.  There were times where Mika showed visible signs of sickness from the cancer.  She became lethargic and had trouble keeping food in her body.  When she would throw up and experience diarrhea, Matt and Lija could have began to lose hope.  But they didn't.  Instead, they turned with confidence to God.

And, so generously, He answered their little prayers with great love.  On a subsequent return to the veterinary hospital, the doctor could find no such legion of cancer in Mika's leg.  What was once a very visible and tangible lump in the leg was now altogether absent.  Befuddled, the doctor performed another X-RAY, saying he would pay for it, given how curious he was about this unexpected outcome.  But absolutely nothing appeared on the X-RAY.  Little Mika had been healed!!

Yes, God performed a great miracle.  And oh, how soon we will forget it, unfortunately!  Today Mika is a happy and healthy dog, but even when there comes a day when she is no longer with us, we must never forget how God intervened.  We must hold Mika's miracle in our hearts for as very long as we possibly can, and we must let it motivate us to pray for God's will with more childlike enthusiasm and trust.

The generous, life-giving will of our God is always attainable when it is requested with ardent prayers, full of love.  Anything good is possible with prayer!