Making Room For Miracles

Medicine and miracles have danced a duet for centuries, taking turns at having the lead. Stories of miracles and those needing miracles flood toward us, many of them flowing past your ears on their way. But who is responsible for this work that is so marvelous in our eyes?

Hardworking doctors regularly take heat for playing God, being skeptical, or taking all the credit. A brain surgeon deserves to be the most proud - is he not the prince of the medical realm?

But of all doctors, a neurosurgeon knows best that there is only so much he can do. The brain is a mysterious organ, its healing still beyond the skill of man.

Two things the doctors’ skill did for Kiara - they gave her brain space, and they gave it rest. That was within their capability - to remove her skull and induce a coma. The rest was up to the Source of Life.

Life continues to flow through her brain, through her muscles, through her nerves. She is alive and she is healing. Life unstoppable working minute-miracles. She does her times tables, reads aloud from the Bible, goes up and down stairs, plays games with her friends. She remains the unbeaten champion in UNO; the Memory Game; Noughts and Crosses... Luckily, her friends still want to come again!

Her stitches are taken out, so many of them! Looks Iike the doc had his own game of Noughts and Crosses on her head. He apologises good-naturedly for his handiwork - emergency brain surgery leaves little time for aesthetics! She sheds a few tears for the first time - the knots of the stitches are caught in her hair. I squeeze her hand, but it’s good news. Her hair is growing and her nerves are in tact. The skin we’ve been praying for is thriving and there is no visible sign of infection.

The doc is impressed she’s not being retrained by PlayStation. Books and puzzles and music are the brain food of the strong. I put on some classical music and she looks at me...Beethoven?

Yes, I smile. Well done. Do you remember what symphony?

She answers correctly, the fifth...

Kiara’s therapists are all delighted with her progress. They’re all talking about full recovery. Medicine has made room for a miracle that has changed our lives.

Space and rest. That’s what they could offer. Making room for miracles. Making space for God.

Kiara has been a sign and wonder, the world is talking about a God who heals. But some are feeling forgotten - what about them? Has he heard? Does he know?

Medicine and miracles. We need both for our healing. Can you give your pain space and rest? The key to our miracle has been surrender. Daily we have to choose. Surrender to the goodness of God in the midst of this mysterious world of suffering.

Kiara rests tonight, in surrender. Rich and I do, too. May your ‘medicine’ afford you space and rest, and may God bring the miracle!