A Essay on Miracles

“OK. So are you going to say that your mother believes in miracles?”

“I’m not sure. Tell me about a miracle you believe in.”

“Well, when the Israelites were slaves in Egypt, God sent plagues on the Egyptians so that they would let the Israelites go.”

“How long ago was that?”

“Well, I think maybe 3000 years or so,” said the mother slowly. She wasn’t sure.

“So before there was a United States. Before even Grandpa was born.”

“Well, yes. Long before that.”

“So have you ever seen a miracle?”

His mother thought for a moment. “Well, you are a miracle,” she announced triumphantly. She thought this would end the discussion.

“I don’t think that’s what the word means. How am I different from all my classmates?”

“You’re unique, just you!”

“But I came into the world in the same way that they did. I pretty much do similar things to what they do. If everything’s a miracle, there’s nothing to talk about. I’m looking for something impossible that you know happened in your lifetime. You said you believe in miracles. What miracles have happened to you, or to people you know?”

“Well, I can’t really think of anything. I’ve lived a rather ordinary life, well except for you.” She still hoped that talking about how important Jimmy was would divert him.

“I don’t count,” Jimmy said, startling his mother. “Not for this.”

“Has dad seen any miracles? Can he tell me a story of a miracle that he knows happened because he saw it?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never heard him tell about any.”

“What about Grandma and Grandpa? Have they told any stories of miracles?”

“I can’t really remember anything,” said his mother. She was really hoping this topic would go away. “Maybe you should try some other topic, like whether we should plant flowers along the street. People are arguing about that.”

“I want to write about miracles. It’s obvious we should plant flowers.” He paused. “So are there a lot of miracles that happen to other people?”

“Well, there are miracles in the Bible. There’s one about the sun standing still so people could win a battle. Then there’s the story of Jesus rising from the dead. We celebrate that every Easter.”

“OK, but none that happen to people like me, right?”

“I can’t really think of any right now. Miracles happen to people who are especially close to God. That’s why we have Bible stories about them. They were closer to God than other people. They were his special servants and worked hard for him and faced persecution.” She paused. “Write about something else. I don’t think you’re going to get very far with this one.”

“OK,” said Jimmy, and headed back toward his room.

The next day Jimmy’s mom found the copy of his essay. He had written about miracles.

Miracles are impossible things that still happen sometimes. Nobody alive has actually seen one happen, but we still believe that they happened a long time ago.

In old times, there were people who would work and work all their lives and get very close to God. They would learn all about God and do many important things for him. They were special people. These special people could do totally impossible things, because if you work hard and get close to God you will be able to do impossible things.

But you have to be really, really old too, because God doesn’t let people who aren’t old do miracles. They can’t do impossible things because they aren’t close enough to God yet and they haven’t worked hard enough. You also get miracles points if people try to kill you. God likes that a lot.

But you won’t see miracles now. They haven’t happened for years and years, at least since before my grandpa was born.

I wonder where he got all that, thought Jimmy’s mom.

Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable;
I will utter dark sayings from of old,
things that we have heard and known,
that our ancestors have told us.
We will not hide them from their children;
we will tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might,
and the wonders that he has done.

Psalm 78:1-4 (NRSV)