Keep looking for the miracles

Lord, there's this star or planet--I'm not really sure which, but it shines brightly in the Eastern sky--against the black and when I open the blinds in the early morning it is there to greet me--a light breaking through all dark. It's a prelude to what is to come as the sun rises in a few ticking moments in the same Eastern sky. It will glow through the darkness of the trees' shadows--moving--rising up to take the day.

And I open my Bible and in between the pages of Acts chapter 27 and 28 lies a little ladybug adorned with sixteen spots on her wings. She's lifeless. She must have snuck into my Bible from church at our Wednesday worship. The Wednesday evening worship in which we have been studying the book of Acts for almost a year now. I've seen ladybugs there--lots of them--sneaking in through the tiny crack of this one window--the one the sun breaks through the colored glass beaming from the same Eastern sky. I don't blame the ladybugs for wanting to be inside the warmth of the Lord's House. Hiding in the pages of God's Word.

By the looks of things--she is dead. Flat dead. So gently, I move her off the pages of my Bible with my finger onto the kitchen table--for now. Until after my morning devotion. I keep reading, writing notes, and then--and there she is! That little brave is crawling onto the page of my journal. Slowly she moves--cripple--broken--her wings not much use anymore. But she keeps moving.

This morning's devotional directs me to the story of Philip and the Eunuch. The Eunuch is reading from the book of Isaiah. And Philip, he was led by the Holy Spirit to go and speak to the Eunuch. And the Bible says, Philip didn't walk to the Eunuch. He ran. Understandeth thou what thou readest? (Acts 8:30) he asked the Eunuch. And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come and sit with him. (Acts 8:31)

Obedience and faith led both men--Philip to help his neighbor understand the Word of God which lead him to Jesus and then to the river for the cleansing of baptism. Salvation. The other, the Eunuch--who was humble enough to ask for help.

And on this morning I needed this little ladybug crawling between the empty lines--the light glimmering in the dark sky--the story of Philip and the salvation of Eunuch. All miracles.

This week we have seen the images, watched the headlines. The news. The people of Ukraine pounding their weak and wet knees in blankets of snow--praying. In bomb shelters and subways--praying. And this week a Mama messaged me. The child she once rocked in her arms took her life and while her Mama was making plans for her burial--the doctors were making plans to remove her daughter's organs. And the Mama told me, 'someone's stone heart will now have a new heart.'

And our own hearts hurts for the suffering of others.

I can't explain to you why that little ladybug lived from Wednesday night to Saturday morning crushed between the pages of the book of Acts--survived and then walked again. Nor can I explain how the light of the star or planet hangs freely in the sky greeting me every morning breaking the barriers of the dark. But what I can boldly say is this, FAITH OPENS THE DOOR TO SEE MIRACLES.

Keep looking for the miracles. In war. In death. In salvation. In God's love. In His creation. Within yourself. Keep looking.

Miracles, they can be seen in the sky hundreds of thousands of miles away and in tiny bugs with legs no bigger than strands of thread. In bomb shelters and subways and in the faithful prayers of people around the world. In a surgical room where doctors carefully lift the heart of one and place it into the life of another. There are miracles happening all around us. And don't think for one moment the darkness has overtaken this old world and the Light is no longer shining.

The sky lightens on this winter morning--the sun is peaking through the trees. And the little ladybug, I move her to the comfort of one of the houseplants. And the Light that will never be dimmed, He is still on the Throne.