July 20th - Acts 19:11–12

Acts 19:11–12 God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled. Isn’t this wonderful? I have no personal experience of my own handkerchiefs or aprons being a blessing to anyone else, but that’s not the point. God will work in the way that he chooses and in this wonderful period of Paul’s ministry that was exactly what he chose to do. The reference to the handkerchiefs here is probably to the sweat bands that Paul used in his daily tent making work. I am reminded of an earlier account in Acts when people were healed by Peter’s shadow falling across them as he walked by. God was blessing his ministry in such an amazing way that sick people were brought out onto the street on their beds and mats to be healed (Acts 5:15). When we hear about God working in wonderful and miraculous ways we are, naturally, very keen to see him do exactly the same things today. When we read the amazing accounts of revivals, when whole communities turned in faith to Christ we, understandably, long for that to happen in our own day. But I believe that our focus needs to be on the fact that God is always acting miraculously. Every day is an expression of God’s miraculous power. It happens when people get better after a time of illness; when people recover after skilful surgery; when a child is born; when people come through a crisis and find new hope; or when we look at the beautiful countryside or watch a majestic sunset. Every day in a thousand ways we are being blessed by miracles, and that can encourage us to expect God to work in new and amazing ways. Question In what ways have you seen God act miraculously in the past week? Prayer God of miracles I worship you. Open my eyes to see the amazing miracles that you are going to do today. Amen