The Miracle Map, Part 3

“Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) So the sisters sent word to Jesus, ‘Lord, the one you love is sick.’ When He heard this, Jesus said, ‘This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.’” John 11:1-4 (NIV)

The fourth principle on the Miracle Map is what a miracle is really all about: God’s miracles in your life will always bring glory to Himself and point people to Christ. The whole purpose of a miracle is to point people to the Source of miracles and bring Him glory. That’s why our motivation for wanting a miracle is important. Why do you want God to work that miracle in your life? Is it because your deepest desire is to see God glorified, or is it all about you?

Sometimes, my prayer for a miracle is a good and godly request, but my motives aren’t totally unselfish. God usually has to take me through a waiting period before He gives the miracle. And even though I think I’m waiting on God to give me the miracle, it’s really that God is waiting on me. He’s waiting for my character to match my calling. He’s waiting for my motives to be pure. He’s waiting for me to come to the place where I will give Him all the glory.

When Jesus was told about the sickness that his friend, Lazarus, was suffering with, He seemed indifferent in His response; He delayed going to see Lazarus for a couple of days. By the time Jesus did arrive, Lazarus had been dead for four days. Needless to say, Lazarus’ sisters were disappointed and, no doubt, disillusioned with Jesus. Both Martha and Mary made a similar comment: “Lord, if only you had been here my brother would not have died.” (Vs. 21, 32)

Jesus had not met their expectations. When God doesn’t respond as we thought He would or how we thought He should, we often feel the same disappointment and disillusionment in our faith. But, if you know the end of the story, you know that God was after a much greater purpose in Lazarus’ life. He told His disciples that “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” (Verse 4)

This is the fourth principle of the Miracle Map. God’s miracles in your life will always bring glory to Himself and point people to Christ. When you jump to the end of this miracle after Lazarus is raised from the dead, you find him pointing so many others to Christ that the leading priests were plotting to have him killed. In the next chapter, John tells us: “Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus, too, for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus.” John 12:10-11 (NLT)

Will the miracle you are seeking in your life bring glory to Christ and point others to Him? Instead of just saying a quick “thank you” after you receive a blessing from God, ask Him what He wants you to do with that blessing for His glory!