Miracles Today

I have an interest in miracles, but I try to ensure that any miracle I talk about is credible.  I am currently enjoying reading through Craig Keener's book, 'Miracles Today.'

If your heart is hard towards the gospel, then miracle accounts will not persuade you of God's truth (see Luke 16:31), however, miracles can have a part to play in strengthening the faith who of those who are open to God's truth (see John 14:11).

I share the following miracle from Keener's book.

Marlene Klepees was born with cerebral palsy.  She became a Christian when she was eleven at a Youth for Christ meeting.  She had been an orphan from the age of two, and so she loved thinking about God as her Father.

As her condition worsened, Marlene lost much of her eyesight and became effectively paralysed from the neck down.  She never stopped shaking and was bent to one side.  

When she was seventeen she was transferred to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.  

While in the hospital, Marlene had a vision of being healed, in a church building and this happening on a certain date: 29th March.  Her faith was strengthened when she received a gift of the very tee-shirt that she had seen herself wearing in the vision.  She found it very difficult to communicate, and none of the staff believed her when she told them that she was going to be healed.

On March 28th things did not look hopeful.  There was no one to take her to church the next day.  She had no contacts with any local church.  But, as she poured out her heart to God, she felt Him speak, assuring her that He would direct her to the right church.

The next morning, the 29th March, Marlene managed to mouth to the nurse that she wanted a Yellow Pages.  When the nurse opened it at the church page she felt led to the Open Bible Church.  The nurse dialled the number and put the receiver to Marlene's mouth.  The pastor, Scott Emerson, answered, and when Marlene managed to ask if they believed that God still healed, he said that they do.

Scott arranged to visit, but while Marlene had given him her room number, she had omitted to tell him which of the two main hospitals she was in, or even her name.  When he arrived four hours later , he was taken aback by her how severe her condition was.  Marlene's speech was so laboured that they had to rely on a nurse who had learned to understand her.  Marlene believed that Scott looked like the pastor in her vision, and he was able to confirm that the church building matched what she described.

That evening there were only about seven people at the church for the service.  They gathered around Marlene and prayed for her healing.  Scott then asked Marlene if she wanted to walk.  'Suddenly'; she explains, 'my feet hit the floor flat, and for the first time I could feel the floor under my shoes!  I took a few steps, with others holding on to me.  Then, they let go of me.'  

Her feet, that had pointed inward, began to straighten with each step.  With every lap that she took around the room she grew stronger and stronger.  Now her yes began to feel warm, and she heard her heavenly Father telling her to take her glasses off.  Her vision was completely restored.

To celebrate, the group went out for ice-cream.  As they were leaving, they ran into a worker from the Mayo Clinic.  He had seen Marlene's wheelchair in the back of Scot's car and feared that she mush have died.  Instead, he asked, stunned, 'Marlene--is that you?'

Scott brought Marlene back to the Mayo Clinic. When the nurse in charge saw her walking in she dropped the phone she was holding.

That healing took place in 1981, and Marlene remains well four decades later.  She bicycles and runs a flower shop called Heaven's Scents Flowers.  She has also witnessed how God has used her in His healing of others.