Not a coincidence...

In my class, this week, Dr. Morris talked about Miracles. A Miracle is a supernatural event that has been requested. You know it is not a coincidence, because the person who it is performed for has asked for the Miracle.
Well, I know that another special lesson I learned from the Bible is not coincidence either. Dr. Morris mentioned that a leper was healed by Jesus.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+8%3A1-4&version=NIV

Jesus asked him not to tell anyone how he was healed, but he told lots of people thinking he could help the ministry of Jesus.

I have always wondered why Jesus said that. I really liked what Dr. Morris said. He said that Jesus understood the prejudices, not that he was worried about offending anyone, but he knew that the priests would make a big issue out of a simple situation. The real issue was that a man had faith and so Jesus healed him. The priests saw the picture as that troublemaker, Jesus, was gaining more power and influence. After that, any leper or person who was sick, regardless of whether or not they believed in Jesus, would go searching for a magical healing from Jesus. Jesus only healed someone who had faith.

So, The leper who was healed by Jesus really did more harm than good by telling everyone and not listening to Jesus.

Another situation just like this is in I Samuel 8. I don't believe that finding the same lesson here that I learned in class was a coincidence.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Samuel+8&version=NIV

Samuel was old and the people of Israel want a king. Samuel and God are not happy about their request. History would show that their request was a mistake.

http://www.carm.org/1-samuel-1510-11-i-regret-i-have-made-saul-king

What really touched me is that God didn't have to put up with the errors of the leper or the Israelites or even you or me, but he lets us choose to obey or disobey. Sometimes, he even warns us as he warned the leper and the Israelites. God always knows best, but he wants our hearts and not just our obedience and so he lets us choose what to do.

Faith is why the leper was healed. Trust was why David was "a man after God's heart".

http://http://www.ronedmondson.com/2009/08/why-was-david-a-man-after-gods-own-heart.html