Overlooked Miracles

In the last few days two different people told me stories of serious, or serious-looking, medical emergencies which suddenly disappeared. In one case X-rays indicated a severe trauma, which upon a second-look amounted to nothing. Another case involved tests ruling out a simple solution, and then further tests discovering it perhaps was the simple solution after all. Excuse the vague writing--I'm keeping details minimal on purpose.

The physicians and nurses thought they were odd, to say the least. But without doubt they were miracles. Not in a Pentecostal, signs and wonders way, but at least in the ordinary, God-listens-to-our-prayers way. The smallest gift, the most incidental coincidences are miraculous themselves. A miracle is not always the spectacular.

On the other hand, that these divine workings can be so overlooked is more a testament to our blindness than anything. How often do we pray for help and don't recognize it? How often do we pray for direction but don't take it because we fail to recognize what God is directing us toward? That the earth does not swallow us whole for ignoring His grace and mercy is mercy itself. That God is so patient with us in our infirmities and weakness and obstinacy calls for praise and thanksgiving.