Now I Know

“Now I know.”

Just three little words, but they tell a significant story.

The woman’s son had been dead, but now he is alive! The woman had been grieving, but then the prophet intervened and called on his God to revive the boy. The prophet’s God responded, and as a result the boy is once again filled with the breath of life, in response to which the woman proclaims, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth” (1 Kings 17:24).

At first glance, it seems completely normal. If your son had been dead but now is alive at the hands of a prophet, you would likely acknowledge a larger power involved, as well.

But the use of the word “now” at the beginning of the exclamation denotes a change in belief. It signals that though the woman now believes, she previously did not. It communicates that until now, she held on to disbelief, and that it is only because of this miracle that she now believes.

It is a remarkable fact given what has just transpired in the previous 17 verses. Here is the cliff notes version (you can read the whole story in 1 Kings 17:7-23):

- The prophet asks the woman for some bread and water.

- The woman tells the prophet she only has enough supply to make one final meal for her son and herself, and then they will die.

- The prophet tells her to make a meal for him first anyway!

- The woman obeys.

- Miraculously, the supplies to make bread are replenished every day and never run out!

In other words, this woman and her son have been living in an ongoing miracle that has sustained their life on a daily basis! Their very existence has been repeatedly perpetuated by a life-giving miracle!

And yet, we know from what we already read that somehow the woman still does not believe. When her son becomes ill and dies, she does not believe even though her son and she have been living a miracle!

It is only when all has been stripped away and then miraculously restored that she is able to say, “Now I know.”

Are you holding out for one specific miracle? Is there one specific mountain in your life you are waiting to see moved? Is there a broken relationship or a wound or a hidden sin you are pointing to as the thing that needs to move before you will believe?

If so, I invite you to consider today: Are you already living a miracle? Look around. Does your life already speak of the One who created you and sustains you? Does it already testify to miracle upon miracle and in fact point to an assurance of power capable of delivering on that one miracle for which you are holding out?

If you stop and do an honest assessment, I think you will find the honest answer is yes. Your God has already done a miraculous work in you! He can do immeasurably more (Eph. 3:20). Even so, I cannot give you assurance that His plan for the miracle you are holding out for matches your plan. It may or may not. But He is able.

And your belief should not require the receipt of one more miracle. You already are a miracle! There is no need for you to wait to proclaim it:

“Now I know!”

The following article originally appeared in Thann’s “The Equipped” Weekly Newsletter. For more information on Thann’s weekly email, click here.