Many people today do not believe in miracles, and yet somewhere in the world miracles are happening on a daily basis. The headline in the July 18, 2014 edition of the Jewish Telegraph attests: As Israel continues to deal with the threat of terrorist rockets flying through its skies, a recent newspaper headline trumpeted the possibility of supernatural protection.
It was a partial quote from Barbara Ordman, who lives in Ma’ale Adumim on the West Bank.
Her exact quotation was: “As one of the terrorists from Gaza was reported to say when asked why they couldn’t aim their rockets more effectively: “We do aim them, but their God changes their path in mid-air.” She opened her piece by noting that: “In October 1956, [Israel’s first Prime Minister] David Ben Gurion was inter- viewed by CBS. He stated: ‘In Israel, in order to be a realist, you must believe in miracles.’ Though the Talmud teaches Israelis not to depend on miracles for survival,” we must not desist from our obligations and must not wait for miraculous intervention from the supernatural,” she writes. Though Israel is a Jewish State, there are many Christians there as evidenced by the following statement: “Shalom to Israel and supernatural protection, thank you Jesus for releasing your warring angels to supernaturally protect and defend Israel in Jesus’ name…” ( Juliet M. Maeck) There are some interesting Old Testament scriptures that are quoted by the Jewish people that warn those who fight against Israel, “Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. Psalm 121:4 (Danette Mallard) “The Muslims should also read about their future…in Psalm 83.” ( Jimmie Vestal) “Anyone against Israel should just run the other way!” (Trace Remington)
Because the Muslims are the aggressors, they will be hard pressed to find miraculous support from on high.
The following is a recent statement from an Israeli soldier who recently returned from the recent invasion of Gaza. He said just prior to entering into Gaza and battle, “He was handed a laminated card with a prayer for going to battle, and a rabbi there yelled at the top of his lungs, ‘You are the army of Israel, and you’re going to war.
You will not be afraid because God is going out to war with you.’”
Then came the battle. “It was like walking into hell,” Siegelman said. “The world is full of explosions, full of smoke. It was war.” Such was the violence that he said he would not have been surprised “if there were dozens of dead men.” Personnel carriers with open hatches littered the hillside. “How many people got killed?” he asked his commander. “Nobody,” came the reply. “One guy was injured…a medic was using a baby wipe,” Siegelman said. “That was the injury in our unit.” He said it was just a short time later when the sun rose, and a “huge double rainbow” appeared in the sky. Soldiers “reached their hands to the sky,” to say, “He is with us.”
Miracles of one kind or another have always been associated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since its onset in 1830. From members of both sex, and all ages, there are miraculous experiences expressed every day somewhere in this worldwide Church. For example:
Matt Hales, in an excellent talk, stated that “he and his companion were walking down the road on the way to an appointment. They passed a woman walking and pushing a stroller. Matt felt like they should talk to her. They talked to her and got an address from her so they could visit her later. Then Matt got transferred. He found out later that the address was not her address, but when the Elders went to the door, the lady who answered the door said that she had been praying for the missionaries to come. Wow!!! She was baptized.” Great story.
We have to be cautious of placing too much attention and confidence in miracles, however, because they do not often produce expected outcomes. More often than not, a Priesthood blessing does not produce the hoped for healing, at least not as rapidly as expected.
Elder Harold B. Lee said at General Conference (as reported in the Ensign): “It never ceases to amaze me how gullible some of our church members are in broadcasting these sensational stories…
As an historian, I long ago determined that the most judicious approach to miracle stories is to recognize the powerlessness of miracles to produce true faith.” I personally have had such an experience as reported in a previous volume of The Book of On. While serving as a branch president in a nursing home many years ago, a young man who had been recognized as a drifter had come to the nursing home for rehabilitation. That winter, as he left a saloon in Nevada, he had been drinking and passed out and fell onto the sidewalk and was awakened the next morning with his leg frozen to the sidewalk. He was sent to Ogden for rehabilita- tion at the nursing home where I served as the Branch president. The doctors had finally decided that they were going to have to remove his one leg just below the knee. Gangrene had set in, such that they felt that it would be necessary to remove his leg below the knee. They were afraid that he might lose his life if his leg were left on. He knew of the church and of priesthood blessings, and the night before the operation he asked me if we might give him a blessing, as he did not want to lose his leg. I agreed and arranged to give him a blessing but advised him that blessings are often based on faith and worthiness. That did not seem to deter his desire for a blessing. So one of my counselors and I blessed him. My counselor administered the oil, and I was the voice for the blessing. Miraculously, the next day the doctors were amazed to find the gangrene was much less invasive, and they only had to remove his toes on one foot. Several months later, he had his backpack on and was heading for the highway to hitch a ride to some unknown destination. After the operation, we were given a thanks, as he recognized a miracle in his behalf, but he never attended church, nor did he seek the missionary lessons. I have to agree with President Lee: “…most judicious approach to miracle stories is to recognize the powerlessness of miracles to produce true faith.”