Coincidence? I Think Not!

"So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, 'Your son lives'; and he himself believed, and his whole household" (John 4:53).

An incredible scene is here observed in the Gospel of John. Word that Jesus had come to Galilee had spread to the house of one royal official whose son was severely ill. Knowing the reputation of Jesus (that He was one who could heal), the father set out on a journey to petition Jesus to come and heal his son. When he found Jesus, this is exactly what he did. However, instead of going to the man's home, Jesus simply said, "Go your way; your son lives."

While many of us would not have taken Jesus at His word, this believing father did. So he began his journey back home. The distance he had traveled was quite long, for it took a day to return home. And while he was still journeying home, the servants of his house came searching for him. They had news! They had great news! His son was well. The fever was gone. The sickness abated. The glare of death dashed.

Individuals then, as well as now, would possibly dismiss the whole event as "coincidence." But the father, this royal official, knew better. His conversation proves it. For when he heard that his son was alive and well, he inquired of his servants as to the time when the sickness departed. According to their own testimony, it had been the previous day at the seventh hour. There was immediate confirmation in the father's heart. For he knew it had been at the same hour in which Jesus had said, "Go your way; your son lives."

I think we're guilty too often of merely glossing over the work of the Lord by thinking it only coincidence. We look at events and happenings as though random chance produced them rather than the hand of an Almighty God. Even when it comes to prayer, we can be guilty of praying for things that do happen, only to then to never praise the Lord and give thanks to Him because we dismiss it as coincidence. "Oh. Well how about that." Instead of saying, "Thank you Lord for hearing my prayer and answering in that way."

If you read the last blog entry, you'll be reminded that there were several items which I mentioned as pressing prayer issues. Even the last two nights, I have laid in bed praying for those very things: Rest for Micah and Sarah, for the liver levels and other levels to come down and for the baby next door to rest well so as not to prevent Micah and Sarah from sleeping. And for the past two nights, Micah and Sarah have gotten much better rest. The baby next door was either quiet or God blocked the sound.

How about those liver levels? For the first time since Micah's birth, his bilirubin level is knocking on the door of the normal range. Having blown the normal range out of the water, it is finally coming down. Normal is between .2 and 1.2. His is currently at 2.5 which is the lowest it has been since birth. The liver levels have all come down. EVEN the one that had been the highest. One doctor stated the other day that it is "coincidental" that the bile began to flow well just after performing the liver biopsy. But I know better! I know the Lord better than that.

At that time, when things were not looking favorable and we weren't seeing the favorable progress we hoped to, I asked you to pray. I myself began to pray desperately. It isn't coincidence that the bile began to flow. The Lord must have massaged that liver to get it moving.

But I must also mention Micah's eating. His eating had been sparse. Even that was written down in a blog entry so that I might enlist other believers to pray that the Lord might increase his appetite. While he still isn't where they want him to be, his appetite has certainly increased. At some feedings, he'll eat 3 ounces now. On one of the days when concern about his food intake had been expressed by doctors, he ate 11 ounces for the day. Today at 4:30 PM while I was visiting, he had already eaten 11 ounces. Midnight hasn't come yet! Praise the Lord that He has touched Micah and increased his appetite.

This is not a situation of coincidence. This is not mere happenstance. This is simply a display of God's greatness and glory. He can heal with a word; He can heal with a touch. Yet the Lord is the One who heals.

As if this wasn't enough, it seems that God threw in a little bonus. Today Micah has smiled and laughed. While visiting today, he smiled and laughed like I haven't seen in months. Quite literally, he acts and looks like a different child altogether. In many ways he is. His body is experiencing health and the lack of toxins. Everything is starting to be able to function as it should instead of in an environment affected because one part was not functioning as God intended.

I certainly would ask for you to continue to pray for these positive and favorable steps to continue. However, I would like for you to just give thanks to the Lord for what He has done. May our lips never cease to praise Him. For everything that has breath is suppose to, and should, praise the Lord.