You Will See Greater Things
What is the most amazing thing you ever saw God do?
Almost a decade ago, I went on my first mission trip, a twenty-four-hour journey from the church parking lot to our hostel in Aflao, Ghana. I prayed more than usual in the months leading up to the trip. Two things kept coming up in my prayers. First, I prayed my family would survive my absence. I had two young children and a complex plan for sitters, rides to school, and meals. Second, I worried about the lack of, shall we say, facilities. My only access to western toilets was at our hostel—early in the morning and late in the day. So I prayed about that too.
When we arrived in Ghana, I realized how small my state-side prayers had been. We faced potential obstacles getting our medical supplies through customs. The long drive to our hostel included threats of unofficial “roadblocks.” I began to understand what Paul meant when he instructed believers to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV) because each potential problem seemed to dissolve with constant prayer.
The most amazing thing I saw God do on that trip was a loaves-and-fish kind of miracle (see John 6:1–14 to read about Jesus feeding the five thousand). We prepared supplies for a set number of attendees at a conference for pastors’ wives, but then the line of women waiting to enter the conference far exceeded that number. We prayed, and then we began handing supplies to the women as they entered the church. The women kept coming, but the supplies never ran out. The women who prepared and counted the supplies in America assured me we gave out more than we brought.
You Will See Greater Things Than That
In John 1, Philip invited his friend Nathanael to meet the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. Nathanael responded cynically, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46 ESV).
When he met Nathanael, Jesus had an omniscient response to Nathanael’s doubt: “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you” (John 1:48 ESV). That did it for Nathanael. He believed.
Jesus’s vision of Nathanael was just the beginning. Jesus said, “You will see greater things than these” (John 1:50 ESV). The Gospels record supernatural miracles that astounded his disciples and won over crowds—greater things than his vision of a young man under a fig tree.
This promise to see greater things is for us, too. Think of the most amazing thing God ever did for you. Maybe it was a miracle of multiplication like the supplies at my conference. Have you experienced supernatural healing or witnessed the softening of a hard heart? Did God open a womb the doctors labeled closed? Did you or a loved one survive a near-fatal accident?
As you recall the big, good things God did for you, consider Jesus’s words: “You will see greater things than these.” How might this promise change the way you pray?
More Than I Can Imagine
My prayers are often earthbound, asking only for what makes physical, practical sense. I consider my strengths and abilities, factor in my weakness and limitations, and come up with a reasonable request. My knowledge of physiology and healing shapes my prayers for healing and wellness. I try to avoid disappointment, and my prayers reflect my low expectations.
When I put myself on the streets of Galilee with Philip and Nathanael, I listen closely to Jesus’s promise: “You will see greater things than these.” His words strengthen my struggling faith. They embolden me to ask for greater things. I’m reminded of the amazing things God has done, and I believe he will do more than I can imagine. If he answered my desperate prayers in Ghana, he can answer any prayer I might pray.
With the promise for greater echoing in my soul, I pray for more. I pray for more than my own strength and resources can provide. Instead, I ask for what only an all-powerful God can do with his unlimited resources. My prayers don’t have to be reasonable. The more unreasonable the better! My faith experiences growth as I hope for greater things.
What is the most amazing thing you ever saw God do? Now consider Jesus’s promise, that you will see greater things than these. Allow this promise to stretch your faith and shape your prayers.
is a small town girl who married a small town man. They have three children. In the quiet minutes of her day, you will find her at the keyboard or curled up with a book–always with coffee. Kelly believes we are created for community and loves to find ways to connect with other women who are walking in the shadow of the cross. She blogs at mrsdisciple.com.
Photograph © Josh Applegate, used with permission
