I am the Great Grandson of two Baptist preachers. My mother’s daddy’s daddy
and my father’s mother’s daddy. Their places on the family tree are on two
exactly opposite limbs. Through my mother’s side of the family, my Great
grandfather Baptist preacher’s name was H.V.J. Golden or Herschel Vespucious
Johnson Golden. He died early at the age of 39 in 1895. On my father’s side of
the family, my Great grandfather was Albert George Ott. I was able to know him
because he lived until 1958 and I had the chances to be acquainted with him
when I would visit my Grandparents in the summer since he lived with them at
that stage of his life. Both of these men were faithful preachers of the Gospel of
Jesus Christ. They were the pastors of smaller, rural churches in the late 1800’s
and early 1900’s. Many people were led by them to a saving knowledge of Jesus
Christ. So, my lineage is blessed by these two faithful men who served God well.
I remember that Grandpa Ott would come into the living room every Sunday
afternoon to watch the Oral Roberts evangelistic and healing meeting on black
and white tv. He would sit very close to the television so he could see the service
which was held in a large tent. When Oral Roberts would hold his healing
services, Grandpa Ott would intently watch it all and he would cry as people were
healed. No matter what someone would think about all of this, it was real to
Grandpa Ott to the point that it affected his emotions and he would cry. He loved
those healing services. Everyone loves to hear of a miracle.
One Sunday at Abilene Baptist during my tenure there, I went through the back
foyer just prior to the morning worship hour. As I was talking to some people, it
occurred to me that I heard a little child crying. I looked around and saw a
grandmother with her little granddaughter sitting on the couch in the foyer. The
little girl was in pain and was holding her arm at an odd angle to minimize the
pain. She was extremely uncomfortable and the grandmother had a distressed
look on her face that said: “What in the world am I going to do.” I walked over to
them and inquired as to the problem. The grandmother did not know what was
wrong with the little girl’s arm. I asked the grandmother if I might look at the arm
to see if I could help the situation. I quickly recognized what the problem was.
Someone had lifted that little two-year old girl by grasping her by the hands and
lifting her vertically. If one does that with a small child they might pull the elbow
out of joint and that is exactly what had happened because her elbow joint was
not mature and able to stand the stress of being lifted by the hands. I had seen
this several time with my own children as they were growing up. I had learned
how to fix the situation on my own children and I asked the grandmother if I could
try something. I also asked the little girl, who was in tears, if I could hold her are
in my hands and she nodded that I could. So, I held her elbow in my left hand and
grasped her wrist in my right hand. Then, I gently turned her wrist in the proper
direction to cause the bones to fall back into place in her elbow. I felt it when it
corrected itself and I smiled at the little girl. She realized that the pain was gone
and she smiled back at me. I said, “I think you are all right now.” The
grandmother looked at me with a look of amazement as if I had the power of
healing. I quickly told her what I had done and that the little girl would be just
fine. The grandmother, however, told a lot of people about the incident and I had
to keep telling people the true nature of the event. I was not a miracle worker
but just someone who knew what to do.
The only true miracle worker is none other than Jesus Christ. He only needed to
speak the word and people were healed of all kinds of diseases. The Bible is full
of events in which Jesus worked miracles of healing as well as for other things
such as feeding the 5,000 people with a few little fish and a little bread. Jesus is
the Miracle Worker. But, the biggest miracle that takes place on earth is not seen
when someone is healed or some problem solved. It is not experienced when a
specific prayer request is answered. The greatest miracle that is ever performed
is when someone gets saved by the power of the Holy Spirit and becomes a child
of God and a member of His family. That is the greatest miracle. When one is
truly saved, they are instantaneously changed and made a citizen of heaven. They
have to live here until called home by the Lord, but they are citizens of heaven
immediately upon the salvation event. They are given gifts with which to serve
the Lord. Their conscience is cleansed. Their destination is changed and they are
promised a home in heaven forever where they will spend eternity in bliss and
where they will serve God forever. That’s the biggest miracle that ever takes
place in the universe and it is all made possible by Jesus Christ, The Miracle
Worker.
I have never known anyone who said they wanted to go to hell when they die.
Everyone wants to go to heaven. You cannot admit yourself to heaven. God has
to do that. You cannot just decide that you are good enough to go there. It’s not
based on your goodness but the Goodness of Jesus Christ who died for you. If you
have never committed your life to Christ by faith, trusting Him to take you to
Heaven, then you have no reason to believe that you can just wind up there one
day. The salvation of your soul is a one-time event where you submit your life to
the Lord and commit to serve Him when the Holy Spirit comes and convicts you
of your sin. Heaven reaches down and brings Salvation of a soul on earth. Just
remember, no one can do that greatest of miracles but Jesus Christ, The Miracle
Worker.
