I understand there are different types of miracles, but my issue is this: I believe when we pray we submit to God for His purpose and will to be done regardless of what we want, need or desire, but, when someone is in the hospital, do we pray for God to work through the doctor and medical procedures, etc.. or apart from them (i.e. a miracle)? Do we pray for someone who has lost their arm to a shark bite to ask for another arm (a miracle) or to be given the grace and strength to live without the arm they once had? When a parent has a child that dies, do you pray with them for the child to be raised from the dead, or to be given the comfort and strength to continue living without their child? Are we to ever pray for these types of miracles? I say we do not counsel Christians to pray or expect such miracles as these to which I am referring. I do not believe God has chosen to do such miracles today. Why? I do not know. God has chosen evidently to do them before (Biblical times) and will do them in the end, but not now. It is a disservice to the church to mislead them to believe God will do such things. In a way, when Jesus says blessed are you because you have not seen, speaks to this. We believe even though God does not do these type miracles, even though we have not seen them in our lifetime. It is my understanding that God has chosen not to do miracles such as replacing limbs instantaneously that have been destroyed, raising people from the dead who have been blown apart of maimed to death, or replace a persons brain that is damaged beyond recognition and other such miracles. I believe this accurately reflects Biblical teaching and objective reality about how God has chosen to involve Himself in the world at this time through these type miracles. I think ministers are afraid of being called a man of little faith or even a deist if they were to say this from the pulpit. I am not referring to impressive medical procedures, the natural healing process or misinterpretations of events that are not miracles but being called miracles.
I do not feel I am putting a limit upon God, only acknowledging a limit He seems to have determined for Himself during our day. I know He is capable, but the statistical probability seems to be very low, I say zero, for God to do such a miracle today.
I think Christians become discouraged or question their own faith when they pray for such miracles and they do not come about. Or, when others claim certain medical procedures, natural processes, or misinterpretations as miracles and provide testimony that God is doing miracles for them today, when He did not actually do a miracle for them. Then, someone wanting to believe God for an “actual” miracle (as I am referring to) because of their testimony are discouraged because he never does one in their life. Where might I be off the Biblical mark? Thank you… Michael