The Miracle Bean
Every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17, RSV.
Webster defines a miracle as “an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs.” Usually we think of miracles as events that are beyond our limited human understanding of the natural world. They inspire awe and bring us to our knees in the humbling presence of God’s power and mercy, such as during a spontaneous healing of a life-threatening disease.
But most of us recognize that even some easily explained, everyday occurrences so reflect God’s goodness and magnificence that they contain a touch of the miraculous. No matter that science explains their occurrence. They still take our breath away and fill us with awe just the same, whether it be the cry of a newborn baby or a perfect rainbow.
But some miracles seem to escape our notice because we don’t look hard enough or we forget that God’s gifts to us are not always earth-shattering.
Nutritionists who study plant-based diets have found such a “miracle.” Soybeans are rich in the highest quality protein. Inexpensive and easy to grow, they produce 20 times more protein an acre than an acre devoted to raising beef. So versatile is the soybean that in one form or another it appears in nearly every kind of dish imaginable. Packaged in this little bean is a host of natural substances that have impressive health protective effects, earning soy the nickname “miracle bean.” Scientists have found in soybeans substances called isoflavones, which appear in no other commonly consumed food. Isoflavones have been linked to a reduced risk for cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis.
A miracle? Webster might not agree that soybeans meet the strictest definition of that word. But God’s people know that the true miracle is His never-ending desire to bless us with gifts for our welfare and happiness. Each of these gifts is a miraculous sign of His great love for us. They come in big and small packages, and often escape our notice. But our lives are enriched when we recognize and are grateful for each gift—whether it be healing, a baby, a rainbow, or a little brown bean.
Lord, teach me to see the many gifts with which You bless my life, and to be always thankful for all the good things You provide.
Webster defines a miracle as “an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs.” Usually we think of miracles as events that are beyond our limited human understanding of the natural world. They inspire awe and bring us to our knees in the humbling presence of God’s power and mercy, such as during a spontaneous healing of a life-threatening disease.
But most of us recognize that even some easily explained, everyday occurrences so reflect God’s goodness and magnificence that they contain a touch of the miraculous. No matter that science explains their occurrence. They still take our breath away and fill us with awe just the same, whether it be the cry of a newborn baby or a perfect rainbow.
But some miracles seem to escape our notice because we don’t look hard enough or we forget that God’s gifts to us are not always earth-shattering.
Nutritionists who study plant-based diets have found such a “miracle.” Soybeans are rich in the highest quality protein. Inexpensive and easy to grow, they produce 20 times more protein an acre than an acre devoted to raising beef. So versatile is the soybean that in one form or another it appears in nearly every kind of dish imaginable. Packaged in this little bean is a host of natural substances that have impressive health protective effects, earning soy the nickname “miracle bean.” Scientists have found in soybeans substances called isoflavones, which appear in no other commonly consumed food. Isoflavones have been linked to a reduced risk for cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis.
A miracle? Webster might not agree that soybeans meet the strictest definition of that word. But God’s people know that the true miracle is His never-ending desire to bless us with gifts for our welfare and happiness. Each of these gifts is a miraculous sign of His great love for us. They come in big and small packages, and often escape our notice. But our lives are enriched when we recognize and are grateful for each gift—whether it be healing, a baby, a rainbow, or a little brown bean.
Lord, teach me to see the many gifts with which You bless my life, and to be always thankful for all the good things You provide.
Used by permission of Health Ministries, North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.
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