Bundles of Blessings

by Maurice Pujol
Published January 19, 2006

God is able to do for us exceedingly, abundantly way more than we can ask or think.

At least that’s what the Bible tells us. Most people who call themselves Christians agree with this statement, at least in theory. After all, God is Creator of the universe, all that exists, so He can do anything, right? He is God of the impossible, as He proved many times in the Biblical accounts.

Yes, most Christians agree with these statements; but only true believers see them as applicable to their day-to-day lives. Everyone who attends church regularly finds it easy to agree that God is good and that God is all-powerful. Ask them to pray for a miracle, though, and some start getting a little uncomfortable.

Perhaps they have lingering memories of prayers supposedly unanswered. A dear loved one died in spite of their pleas to God. That promotion at work they prayed for was given to someone else. A wayward child they’ve been praying about still hasn’t straightened out. Besides, the car broke down last week, and it’s going to cost $1,000 to fix it. And so on.

Perhaps some Christians believe in miracles in principle, but not in practice. Some say Jesus did them for people in His day, but the age of miracles died with the apostles. Others say miracles still happen, but always for someone else and not for them. Still others, suffering from that religious disease of false humility, say they are certainly not worthy of any special action from God.

All these attitudes have one thing in common. They serve to block the abundance of God’s blessings in people’s lives. It is God’s very nature to be ever creating, ever blessing, ever offering new life wherever He is. The Bible tells us that one special place He inhabits is the heart of every believer who has received Jesus as Savior and has welcomed the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit in us is the Spirit of miracles for Whom nothing is impossible. Bundles of blessings await each believer who chooses to open up and to surrender to the Holy Spirit, giving God total control. Because we have free will, we can block this fountain of blessings by trying to take control back from God – or never giving it up in the first place.

Now this runs counter to what we’re taught most of our lives. Especially in America, the traditions of self-reliance and individual effort are revered as ultimate virtues. Common expressions, such as “take the bull by the horns” and “pull yourself up by your boot straps” exemplify these strong undercurrents of our heritage. Almost uniquely in America, children are taught they can become just about anything they want to be if they try hard enough. We live in the land of opportunity, and we’re told that opportunities come to those who work hard.

This makes it even harder for Americans to understand how God’s blessings work. Blessing isn’t something God does; it’s something God is. The same is true when we say God is love. God doesn’t just love. Love is His very nature; He is love. Saying “God is love” is really the same as saying “water is wet.” You cannot separate the very nature of something from the “something.”

That’s why all the beautiful, creative force that is God’s very nature can bless believers on a daily basis. Those who don’t believe in miracles should pause to reflect that daily life itself is a miracle. Every beat of our hearts and every breath we take are miracles, really. Doctors may describe how the heart works and how it sustains the rest of the body, but they can’t really say exactly why. Nor can anyone guarantee that your heart will be beating tomorrow. Only God determines that.

Life itself is a miracle. In an instant, two microscopic organisms join and develop 39 weeks later into a fully formed human being – one who will grow up not just with arms and legs, brain and heart, but also with hopes, aspirations, dreams and desires.

In the way we usually define the word “miracle,” however, we usually mean “bigtime” occurrences, such as walking on water or raising the dead. If we limit ourselves to looking for these types of miracles, we’re going to miss out on the majority of them. Yes, God can shortcut any natural process – He once created a fully formed man and woman. But He can also choose not to – His Word became flesh by following the usual 39-week course of development – even though He may bypass any natural obstacle in doing so (Jesus was born of a virgin).

In short, God can act when He wants and how He wants. As the angel told Mary when he announced the miraculous event that would happen within her womb, nothing is impossible with God.

So, why should anyone try to dilute God’s power in his or her life through unbelief? Why not ask for your miracle – or miracles – naming exactly what it is you need? Healing? Deliverance? Jesus promised us that anything we ask in His name would be granted, only if we believe.

Believing means, however, not just agreeing that Jesus is Lord or that the Bible is a “good book.” Saying you’re a Christian because you believe Jesus was a good man or that the Bible has good advice is mere mental assent, which is the same as saying you’re a mountain climber because you watched a show about mountain climbing on the Discovery Channel.

Believing Jesus means repenting of your sins and making Him Lord of your life because He is God. Believing Jesus means you recognize that nothing is impossible in your life because you have turned it over to Him, the God of the impossible.

There are loads of blessings, bundles of blessings, awaiting each and every believer. Miracles are an important part of this package, not a fancy option reserved only for the special few. Surrender your life to Jesus, and claim your miracle today.

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