Is it a Miracle?

Last night we had our annual Fish Fry fundraiser. The wearther in Memphis was brutal that day. A huge storm with heavy rains was rolling through the area and headed up to Illinois. It extended for hundreds of miles. There were high winds and heavy downpours along the way. Much of the morning was spent under dark skies with periodic heavy rain and the TV scrolling "flash flood" warnings (th the accompanying 'screech' teh national weather service uses to get our attention. It was not ideal for an outdoor gathering. We really had no choice but to proceed, so as we gathered in the evening and began as we always do. I spoke briefly and said a prayer of thanks and blessing, with an intense cry for a weather intervention. Our recipients were The Church Health http://churchhealthcenter.org/ and The Neighborhood Christian Center (the website www.ncclife.org). Both are awesome.

Due to the weather about 100 folks did not show up. (We pray their contributions will later!) We were glad for what we did get (we figured it would be bad form to send a letter to our agencies telling them that the fundraiser lost $1000 and we had a bill!).

Ironically, the the evening ended up being lovely, it cooled down and was pleasant. The clouds never unloaded on us. Later that night I learned why. Around the time we were praying (in praise and thanks to God for His power to bless and His power to protect) some ten miles to our west the approaching storm literally disappeared off the radar. North of us it continued unabated and there remained some to the south. However, where we were it just disappeared entirely. Many people commented on this and most looked to God as the author. There was a lot of "wow" in the conversation. One lady said that as I was praying the sky lightened up. Perhaps a coincidence, perhaps something more...

Here is what sets me to wondering. Every year this happens. Every year. The party always occurs under threatening skies and probablity of rain, even storms. Like most years, the original long range forecast was dry conditions. Perfect! However, as it got closer the threat of rain appeared. Then rain possibility became storm probability. The last few years, as I said, it has been the same. Forecasts were ugly, but each year we have been spared. One year the rain ended a couple hours before we started. One year it started late, as the clean up crew began their work. One year the storm split around us, heading south and north of us with a vengeance. Some years the rain threat does not materialize. I know it could all be a coincidence. However, if you ran into an old school friend at the mall, then an hour later at a sandwich shop, then the next day at the gymn, how many times would you need to run into them before you asked if it was intentional? How many years in a row can we look at the clouds and weather reports and dodge a wash out before we say, "God was smiling on us."

I know the other side of it as well. If God is changing weather for a fund raiser, why not cut the people in Oklahoma a break, right? I understand the complexity of the issue. Suffice to say, I do not know the answer. I know that the money we raise is also, in some cases, a matter of life and death. The work these folks do are life saving and life changing.  Perhaps it is about the praying. Perhaps some prayers are better prayers. Maybe God did more sparing and intervening than we realize in Oklahoma. I do not know. What I know is we experienced what felt like divine saving and it has happened so many other times and it just seems at some point like it is because there is Someone doing it.

Last week I told people that I knew it would be fine. I have come to see and trust God in this, mainly because He has come through each year. I might have faltered a bit as it rained and rained earlier in the day, yet part of me just believes God is making Himself known in all this. It does not mean I believe all my prayers get an automatic affirmative (our baby kept us up past two, I can tell you that prayer was not "answered"). I believe God does things in the world, call it providence or intervention. I also believe that prayer plays a role. I believe God hears prayer. I also know in a complex system (like planet earth) with trillions of moving parts we can only make simplistic statements as we claim to know what God is doing. I am not someone who confidently says what God is doing. I am not smart enough to figure it all out!

Is it a miracle? I really think so, I do not know what else to call it. God revealed His power, I believe, to a group of 175-200 of us. He sheltered us from a storm (again). I do not know what else to call it...