My husband and I ran into one of our favorite coffee shops last week, desperate for a caffeine fix. I expected to leave with a vanilla cold press in hand; I did not expect to be reminded that God does miracles in His time, in His space.
I really did not expect to find this reminder on a package of K-Cups.
I super did not expect this illustration to come from a play in a football game.
While we were waiting for our drinks to be made, I spied a package of Skol Vikings blend K-Cups. We live in Minnesota, so the Vikings are our hometown football team, and a coffee shop chain created the special blend in their honor. We’re not obsessed with football, but we watch games each week and our seven-year-old son currently loves the game — loves it. So maybe we’re becoming football people? Anyway, I thought it would be fun to bring home this football coffee. We bought it, along with our cold press, and headed back to the car to complete the circle of school/work/home drop-off.
And right there in the passenger seat of our minivan, I read the description on the side of the box.
Just like a good cup of coffee, the Vikings have a special way of bringing us Minnesotans together. As we cheer on the team to rock ’em, sock ’em, and fight fight fight each week, we learn that when us Northerners come together as one, there’s not much we can’t accomplish. (And that ten seconds is plenty of time for a miracle.)
That last sentence, squished in between a set of parentheses, stopped me right in my tracks.
Last year during a game — the final ten seconds of the game, to be exact — Minnesota Vikings player Stefon Diggs caught a twenty-seven yard pass and ran it to the end zone for a touchdown as the clock ran out. The announcer went absolutely wild (as did the stadium), and as he announced it, he excitedly said it was “a Minneapolis miracle.” The title and clip of the play went viral — you can see the “miraculous” play here. Like I said, I’m not a huge football person, but even I remember this game. Mostly because my husband hollered so loud that our football-loving son got out of bed and came downstairs, and then we let him stay up and watch the replay (because we’re quality parents).
Ten seconds is all it took for this play to make record books, to get millions of hits on the internet, to be called a miracle, to change history for a few folks.
And isn’t that so reminiscent of the true miracles of God?
How long did it take for Jesus to do His special kind of multiplication with a few loaves and some fish? How about when He swapped water for wine? With crowds gathered in both of those locations, both of them hungry and thirsty, I can’t imagine that He took His time making these miracles happen. People were waiting.
Sometimes God keeps us waiting. Other times, all He needs is ten seconds.
I’m not actually comparing the “Minneapolis miracle” to those listed in Scripture. But it did remind me to take pause and remember how many times the miracles in my life have taken very little time. When my car stops just in time to avoid being hit by the oncoming car. When I catch my toddlers’ hand just before the van door closes on it. When the diagnosis comes in and they say it was in the nick of time. When the phone call is made minutes before the decision comes through, and the conversation changes the final decision. You know what I mean? How many times have we cut it too close for comfort or whispered, “Oh, thank God”?
And that’s just the protection kind of miracles.
When I raise my eyes from this computer, I see three children that are absolutely miraculous in their own right — not to mention the years of infertility and miscarriage that came alongside them. Even besides that, children (all people, really) are miracles. So very many things have to happen correctly in order to fully develop a human being. All neurons firing, bodies forming, hearts beating. Each person is a miracle, right there in plain sight.
The blue sky. The budding trees. The wonder of snowflakes, each one entirely unique. The music pouring from my speakers, the artists gifted with both word and voice. The transformation coffee goes through as the beans are ground and brewed. The way ingredients come together, changing from eggs and flour into warm cookies. Holding a loved one’s hand. The wings of a hummingbird. More plain sight miracles, beckoning to be seen.
So today, I raise my mug of Skol blend to you. Here’s to the ten-second miracles all around us. May we see them for ourselves. May we be them for another.
Sometimes God keeps us waiting. Other times, all He needs is ten seconds. #miracles -@annaerendell: Click To Tweet Leave a Comment
Anna! I love this, and it encourages me to be reminded that when God has me in a waiting game, it’s not because He CAN’T do what I’m asking–it’s because He’s also waiting. Sometimes (as with Lazarus!) he has something even bigger than a 10 second miracle in mind.
Love the openness of God to do BIG things, or small things with big heart!
Anna,
God is still in the business of miracles! One need only to pause and really look around to come face to face with this fact. There are prayers in which I’ve prayed for an answer for many years and God is still silent, but other times, I’ve barely formed a prayer in my head and the answer is right there in front of me – yes, a 10 second miracle. How quick I am to discount the many miracles and focus on the miracle that hasn’t yet happened. Your post has been a good attitude check. May I be more purposeful to thank Him for all the 10 second miracles and that gives me hope for the “still waiting on them” miracles. Great post!
Blessings,
Bev xx
Those miracles are all around, aren’t they?? What a gift!
Thanks Anne- You brought a smile to my face and a reminder of a way I use to often think.
So glad, Kim.
A cheerleader of a column to start the day well!
Rock ’em, sock ’em, go go go! 🙂
Thank you. May God continue to share His word through you.
Thank you, Olivia!
Goodness…Needed this today! God always answer prayers even when we feel like we had been waiting decades for the prayers to come into fruition. And His timing is always perfect. I have seen this miracle take place with my hubby. It didn’t happen in 10 seconds, although I wished it did, but it took place and I couldn’t have imagined it even better than I thought. So today Lord, I know I am definitely being asked to hold on and wait for yet another part of my life. To wait on my son to see if there is any hope for him to graduate high school within the summer. I will wait Lord. I know You have a plan and purpose for his life and even though it seems he is taking a detour to the left, I know Your plan is better than what I ever imagine. I pray for patience on my part and to continue to love on my son even when I don’t understand any of this. Thanks Anne for sharing this…
Ugh it’s so had to wait! Praying for you in the waiting.
Oh friend – you know that’s my best kind of miracle and while I’m a die hard Packer fan, even I can so appreciate that kind of encouragement. 🙂 xooxox
Jen
I bet you remember that play too, Jen!! Ha! Love you friend.
Anna,
I love this and you are so right there are ten second miracles all around us. May we see them for ourselves, May we be them for one another. This last sentence just rings true for me! I have helped organise a gathering of Muslim women in our community and all of us women to come together to create community and see how we can help them feel safer after what happened in Christchurch. Dunedin where I live is a satellite town for refugees and so we have a growing multicultural community. It was also targeted first but the attacker then changed his mind and well it was horrendous. Jesus said love thy neighbor and that is what I hope will happen. We have over 70 women coming to the women for peace meeting. Everyone has the right to feel safe and for community. I am only part of the organising team, but I hope I can be an ambassador for Jesus and that my actions are his actions or what he would do. I am a little nervous but we are all becoming more multicultural and with that there is a need for community and peace. Thank you for this lovely reminder to be the miracle for each other.
That gathering sounds AMAZING. What a blessing and gift to your community. You are so right — “Everyone has the right to feel safe and for community.” Love your heart.
Love your post! What a great reminder to us all that God’s miracles are not always huge, splashy events but something so small that if we don’t pay attention, we might miss it. I promise to never miss another…no matter how small.
Amen and amen.
Sometime we as Christians can get down when we look to God for that miracle. It not coming we think way God. Did you not hear me when I prayed too you. Yes of course God heard your prayer. It not that God slow at answering you or he doesn’t want to answer you. He can answer you right away if he wants. But sometimes he makes you wait to make you keep looking up on too him and his world the Bible and this promises in it. Drawing closer to him. Maybe that all he wants you to do. But even though if it to with a sickness or pain. Use Doctors. He is still all we need. He will never leave us nor forsake us. He Love us so much. John 3 verse 16 tells us that for God so loved the World He gave his Only Son. Excellent excellent reading thank you for it. Love Dawn xxx
Not to play the devil’s advocate, but isn’t God’s non answer equivalent to God not wanting to answer? If a child asks for something, and a parent doesn’t acknowledge the request, to me that says either that parent didn’t hear the request, or the parent doesn’t want to answer the request. Bottom line in my life right now is God’s unwillingness to even acknowledge a request that has been repeated in desparation over and over.
Good morning Becky. There are some things that I have been praying for, for quite some time, and it appears that because the things I’ve been praying for and the ways I’ve been praying them have not come to fruition. However, what I have noticed is although God has not seemingly answered those requests, one thing I know for sure is I’ve been changed! Waiting is never easy, there is nothing in God’s Word that tells us it would be. But if God always answers us in the way we think He should, what would we really have to trust Him for? In addition, we truly don’t even know what to pray for as we ought, because we can only see as far as the corner but God sees around it. What if God wants to do immeasurably more than what you ask for or can even think? What if God is actually doing a work in you that is greater than what you’re asking? What if what you’re asking for can do you more harm than good? And what if you’re timing (Kronos) and God’s timing (kairos) are totally different? Sister Becky I pray that in the midst of your wait God will allow you to know He is and will always remain a Good, Good Father who has perfect knowledge and knows exactly what you need.
Becky,
God answers prayers three ways: yes, no & wait. A non-answer could be a wait. Perhaps He is trying to mold you into His likeness. He may be working on you to trust Him more. It could be that the request is not what God has in mind for you. He may have something immeasurably bigger & better for you. Hang in there, keep praying, waiting & trusting God. Look to see the miracles around you.
Blessings 🙂
Becky,
Only in hindsight can we really see the trail of Gods plan for our life. Ie in my own life getting knocked back for a job until a better one comes along. Getting that job and then even further seeing the tools I learnt in that job that equip me for a completely different dream. Praying for a placement for over a year, getting knocked back, no answers or other issues until the perfect placement came along and the sisters here all prayed for me in the last couple/3 months…
It will happen but not how I thought it would…hang in there dive deeper but be open to it all as your answer may not be or look like what you expect.
Praying for you sister x
Letting all these encouraging replies speak for themselves. Praying for you in the waiting, Becky.
Anna, do you think it’s enough to show up for our neighbor while respecting their own beliefs? Surely it is enough to help, show kindness and try and be as Jesus was without mentioning the difference in religion? We can minister by our actions and it’s then up to Jesus/God to do the rest right? I know we are supposed to share the good news but that is not my spiritual gift …. surely actions speak louder than words right?
Yes, I totally agree!
Thank you, Anne. Such wonderful reminders of God’s goodness and His power.
Thanks for being here, Shirley.
Anna, Gracias!! I love stories like this, such a great reminder right when I needed it the most!
So glad it was a good reminder for your heart!
So true! Thank You
Sis Anna I appreciate you so much for this very timely message. I’ve missed many ten seconds for looking for “one hours!” May my eyes be open and ears attentive to the gentle whisper, still-small voice miracles that God is showing us every single day!
Ooh yes, may our eyes be open and seeking!
Amen, Anna! Amen!
Hi Anna,
Beautifully written! So encouraging to remind us to be thankful for the small miracles in our lives.
Thanks, Sandy
Thanks for being here and leaving encouragement, Sandy!
Anna,
Everyday there are miracles all around us. We just need eyes to see them. To often we rush around so busy that we simply miss the miracles right in front of us. The glorious sunrises & sunsets daily. The good parking space, or saving us from an accident. Each spring God shows us splendid, colorful miracles. Flowers & plants coming back to life after a long, harsh winter. I’ve known people who pray for someone’s heart to change for years & one day that person walked up to front of church & recommitted their life. There have been times I prayed for something & God said no. Now I see that as a not yet & not good enough. I wasn’t ready for His big miracle. It took many many years but my aged father got baptized-(raised Methodist). I was born with two punctured ear drums. Two surgeries later the left one isn’t fixed. I wore a hearing aid for years. Now years later it has closed up. You never know when & how God will work. We must be patient & trust Him.
Blessings 🙂
Yep, absolutely!
Anna, SKOL Vikings! We are fans of Vikings, no matter what. Am glad I recognized you at Galleria and it was nice to meet you that we had such a nice chat. Had such a pleasure to meet your cute boy! Btw, Creative Kidstuff is closing for good at Galleria. We have to keep on praying with HOPE, no matter the circumstances we are faced with and if miracles have not happened yet; we may not see it. (I am in that waiting as well…). He knows what we all need/want. At the same time, I have to keep in mind to check my thoughts and heart on a daily basis (hard…). Thank you for your words and may you continue to be blessed in writing! Again, it was nice to meet you.
Yeah! SKOL!
Yes, yes, YES! Thank you for inspiring me to see the everyday miracles. To God be the glory!
HI Anna! I love that you see 10 second miracles all around you – from coffee, to football, to blue skies and budding trees and your children. 🙂 i’m always encouraged by your loving and encouraging spirit and in your writing, touched by what God has whispered to you. I’m SO looking forward to finally meeting you, Anna after working together all these years – and seeing you in just a little bit at the (in)courage retreat and enjoy your company and get to know you better on this week’s journey, friend! 🙂 love, Bonnie