THE DEBATE rages on whether the wobbling of hurricane Ivan was a miracle. In The Gleaner of September 24, meteorologist, Richard Knabb explained what happened. According to the report, he explicated that a high-pressure ridge to the right of the system caused the sudden shift. The reporter, Robert Lalah, seemed to interpret this to mean that the prayers and fasting were useless in the island being spared. In a reported retort, pastor Al Miller stated "They are trying to use science to explain away God's work, but the fact that they had said that the eye of the hurricane would definitely pass over the island and it didn't, shows that science was off".
It is clear that the meteorologists got some things wrong and they need to admit that. The forecast should have been that a direct hit was likely but if a high-pressure ridge develops that could cause a sudden shift in the projected path of the hurricane. Forecasts should have an element of uncertainty. It is a faith statement. In addition, The Gleaner reporter's statement that prayers and fasting were useless, is also a faith statement. He cannot prove that it was useless. Neither can it be proved that it was useful. One either believes it did or did not make a difference. However, nothing is wrong with using science to explain phenomena because God is the Lord of science.
THE POINT
It is God who gives scientists knowledge to be able to explain natural occurrences. So it is possible for the high-pressure ridge to have caused the storm to veer off course but the point is, who caused the high-pressure ridge to develop at that given moment so that hurricane Ivan could veer off course on that day at that time? It is the wonder-working God. The Red Sea was known to part in two but it was God who caused it to part at that time so that the children of Israel could cross over in safety and then it folded so that the oppressive Egyptian army would drown when they attempted the same feat.
In his book, Miracles (1947), Professor C.S. Lewis, who was for many years an atheist, states that there are three views about the laws of nature. One: Nature behaves in a certain way but we do not know why and can see no reason why it should not behave in the opposite. If this is so then miracles are possible. Two: The laws of nature follow the applications of the law of averages. In other words, a coin tossed a thousand times will not give head 990 times. That the more times you toss a coin, chances are the number of heads will equal the number of tails. This assumes that the motion of tossing the coin is similar and that it is a perfectly shaped coin and not a loaded one.
ONE WHOLE
However, persons who believe in miracles are claiming that God loads the coin. Three: The laws of nature follow a law of necessary truths. Every event is itself and not some different event. This is saying that if you have one lovely cake and you cut it in two it is the same cake with the two halves making one whole. However, a tricky fellow might cut the 'bigger' half for himself and give his little sister the 'smaller' half. But the brother gains what is lost from the sister.
The brother has interfered with the sharing. Miracle is like interference. But this interference does not negate the laws of nature.
Professor Lewis wisely identifies the misunderstanding of the laws of nature. The laws of nature do not cause things to happen; they never cause an event. The laws of motion do not get a football in motion. The laws analyse the motion after something else has caused it. Therefore as CS Lewis states it is inaccurate to define a miracle as something that breaks the laws of Nature. CS Lewis rightly describes the miracle of Jesus' birth thus. God places a miraculous sperm in the body of the virgin, but he does not break any law. The laws at once take over. Pregnancy follows according to the normal laws and nine months later a baby is born.
In the same way, miraculous manna will get stale and if eaten can make a person sick. As Lewis asserts 'a miracle is not an event without cause or results. Its cause is the activity of God: Its results follow according to Natural Law. In addition, both nature and miracle have an origin in God' (p. 64). God made nature and designed the laws of nature. Nature therefore, co-operates with God for his purpose and glory.
The West Indies cricket team winning the ICC World Cup in England against the home team while being the underdog would be a miracle if everybody else could not see the ball in the darkness while Browne and Bradshaw were the only ones able to see the ball. That would mean that the law of reflection was suspended for a moment. Miracles have their origin in God and after enacted, follow the laws of nature that are really God's laws.
The Rev Devon Dick is pastor of the Boulevard Baptist Church and author of 'Rebellion to Riot: the Church in nation-building'.
