Do You Believe in God's Love Through Jesus, Who Still Works Miracles?

My daily devotional reading for Wednesday, August 13, was from Acts 16. This chapter has always caught my interest. After what must have been a troubling disagreement with Barnabas in Acts 15:36-41, Paul and Barnabas parted ways. Then, Paul and Silas begin Paul’s second missionary journey. Because of a vision Paul receives, they leave ‘Asia’, or what we know as Turkey, and start preaching in Europe, in Macedonia, specifically in Philippi. Paul might have had questions on his mind after he and Barabas split up. I would. So, perhaps like me, he looked for the hand of the Lord in the coming events. Those events were not necessarily positive.

If you read Acts 16:10-37, we learn that Paul and Silas had a positive experience with Lydia. Lydia believed their message about Jesus, and then urged Paul and Silas to stay at her home. Lydia’s whole household was baptized. But then the troubles started. Being annoyed by a slave girl with a spirit of divination, they cast the spirit out of the girl. Her owners lost a source of income and brought these missionaries to the authorities, who had Paul and Silas beaten, and “put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.” (Acts 16:24) If Paul and Silas were looking for affirmation of their new team and mission, prison might seem anything but the encouragement they looked for.

However, God’s ways are not our ways, nor His thoughts our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9) Often, when things are worst, God’s hand becomes most evident! An earthquake opened the doors of the prison and loosed the shackles on all the prisoners. When the jailer saw the open doors, he was about to take his own life, supposing he would be counted responsible for all the escaped prisoners. But God worked! Paul cried out, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here." (Acts 16:28) The jailer was overwhelmed. Having heard Paul and Silas pray and sing, he asked them, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:30) The simple truth which Paul and Silas shared with the jailer was, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." (Acts 16:31) The jailer took Paul and Silas home and treated their wounds. Now his whole household was baptized! Perhaps you see what I do, when things are at the worst and God acts, His love and grace and power become even more evident.

I was thinking of how God has acted in my life, and that of my family, and I received three messages on Wednesday from people I know. Years ago I made a friend while I was, of all things, ICE FISHING. Yup! Fred Deussing is a man of faith who has invited me to his home, fed my grandchildren, gone salmon fishing with me, and worshiped at times at St. John. But we met on the ice. As a friend I include Fred and his family in my daily prayers. On Wednesday, August 13, Fred sent out an email devotion entitled, “Miracle.” While ice fishing on a river in Alaska, one of his young sons wandered downstream to open water and fell in. In his blog Fred tells the agonizing effort to stretch out on thin ice and save his son, hurrying him home to chip the ice off his body.

Fred writes of their conversation that night. “Tucking my thawed out little guy into bed that night, we said our prayers together, thanking God for His protection. I told him I was proud of him for being strong enough to hold on until I could get to him. The innocent childlike trust of his response revealed the miraculous, Providential truth . . .’Daddy, I couldn’t hold on. God said the man would hold me up until you came.’ I hugged him crying, “…the man…”, God’s guardian angel sent to spare my son from a horrifying, frozen drowning, and from grief this father could never imagine being able to bear. I will continue to thank Him throughout eternity.” When things are at the worst and God acts, His love and grace and power become even more evident.

Then I received a text from my wife about a young 2 year old boy who parents thought may have drowned this past spring near Spokane, WA. At St. John, I baptized Sarah Reed, now Sarah Bryan. Sarah and her husband, Corwin, tell in a Youtube video how their son, Jo Jo, was found in a pond, non-responsive, and how the hospital prepared Sarah and Corwin for the worst outcome. Amazingly, this young boy who was not expected to live, left the hospital 9 days later fully healthy. He arrived home to celebrate his second birthday the next day. They credit the Lord of love. When things are at the worst and God acts, His love and grace and power become even more evident.

Then I received a text from my brother, James. His wife, Martha, suffered severe seizures in May of 2024. Her life was changed immensely. However, on August 13, 2025, we learned that her health has improved so much that she is now approved to drive again. When things are at the worst and God acts, His love and grace and power become even more evident.

Do you believe in miracles? I’m not sure that is the right question. Rather, do we believe that the Lord of the Universe has broken into this sinful world with His grace and love through Jesus, and continues to do so still today? Paul’s words to the jailer were, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." Do you believe in the God of love, in Jesus Christ?

When things go badly in my life I sometimes wonder, “Why?”, and “Where is God ?” Psalm 46 tells us that when we are really in need, God is really present. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Have you seen the hand of God in the tough times in your life? I have. God especially shows us His love in His Son, Jesus!