Why This Miracle Revolutionized One Rabbi’s View of Prayer

I’ve had a revelation that I hope will change my faith-walk forever. I know that those who read statements like the one above immediately start to see red flags, and their spiritual warning flashers being to light up hollering internally, “Be careful! Proceed with caution!” I understand that response and reaction because, when I read those words in blogs and articles, I respond the same way. However, I hope you will read on because the words that follow could possibly change your life and faith walk also.

This weekend, I held my newest grandson in my arms only hours after he breathed his first breath of air outside of his mother. I looked upon him and counted his fingers and toes, brushed my fingers through his hair, looked at his eyes, ears, mouth and nose, inspecting our little gift from G-D. A profound thought hit me like a ton of bricks: I have always considered life miraculous, but in that moment, it was as if the Spirit of G-D provided a small glimpse into just how many individual miracles take place in the formation of a baby. Each cell and strand of DNA has to be brought together in perfect order and placed there for a human being to function as designed.

Now I know that this is not a revelation to you, nor was it the revelation that I am talking about. It is simply the foundation of the revelation. I realized something while I was thinking about all of the different parts and pieces of my new grandson and how any little divergence from the perfect design for his body could have resulted in catastrophe instead of perfection—a result that would have brought tears of pain instead of tears of joy. In the midst of my thoughts, which seemed to go on forever, but really only took a moment, I realized that I am a miracle surrounded by other miracles, living on a miracle surrounded by other miracles.

Again, this may seem simple and not a unique thought at all. But to me, it was so significant that I do not believe I will ever pray a prayer the same way again. This simple understanding of being constantly surrounded by the miraculous has changed my faith perspective completely. Previously, while I fully believed in the supernatural and the miraculous and have seen many happen with my own eyes, I always seemed to be searching for the next miracle. I know people that travel from place to place chasing miracles, from revival to revival, from preacher to preacher, looking for the next miracle to take place in hopes that somehow the faith to believe for their own miracle will be acquired by seeing a miracle take place or even simply being in a place where a miracle happened.

From that moment in the hospital birthing center with that adorable baby in my arms, through the rest of my life I will forever realize that I am a miracle. Everyone and every creation around me is a miracle. Each and every one was designed by G-D for us to see and to act as an example of His sovereignty and creative power so that we would believe completely that if G-D can speak all of those things into existence for the purpose of increasing our faith to believe for the next miracle, then we can fully believe for the next miracle. In other words, I will never again be looking, searching or hoping to see a miracle. Instead, I will simply look around me because, at every moment of every day, I am surrounded by the miraculous, and in understanding that unquestionable truth, I will always expect the miraculous to take place. {eoa}

Eric Tokajer is author of With Me in Paradise, Transient Singularity and OY! How Did I Get Here?: Thirty-One Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before Entering Ministry.