“Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.” — John 5:8-9 NIV

When I worked as a trauma chaplain, I often heard families claim miracles for their loved ones who declared they would soon get up off their gurney’s and walk out of the emergency department perfectly whole. However, it never happen. The miracles that I saw take place took days, while on the edge of uncertainty, and with great effort of care.

One of the greatest miracles I saw was a 20-something female thrown out of an ATV into a telephone pole face first at 45 miles per hour. Her face and head was crushed with more breaks than could be counted. Every doctor, nurse, and hospital employee expected her to die. I sat with the family knowing that any minute a physician would walk in with the bad news, but they didn’t. Over the next 50 days I witnessed the miracle of healing after operations and operations, till one day when I entered her hospital room to her sitting on her bed informing me that she is finally going home.

My point is, miracles begin with intentional action. Like the man who was healed by Jesus when he got up, our miracle begins when we take initiative.