God works in a dialectic. A both-and. In Jesus, God performs astounding miracles that heal and rescue. And God works redemption through the pain and sorrow that happens without the big supernatural miracles. Top and bottom. God is there. Though Jesus does big miracles, the more mature he gets, the more he grows hesitant. When we encounter these big miracles, we start to see Jesus as a commodity. As something to possess. We start to want ecstatic religious experiences more than we want encounter and relationship with the living God. Soon, we don’t take God’s no for an answer (and God gives no’s just as God gives yeses). We grow resentful of God and, yes… We hang him on a cross.
Miraculous grace