Blog 97 October 22, 2018 ~ MIRACLES NEVER CEASE
Robert Wise explores the world of Divine intervention from an objective point of view. Can 21st Century people believe that the hand of God touches people in today’s world?
In 2007, I wrote Crossing the Threshold of Eternity, about near death experiences. I found a large number of persons with such experiences. Even though they were pronounced medically dead for some limited period of time, they recovered. Their stories were fascinating.
At the time, I didn’t think of these stories as divine interventions, but in retrospect I realized they certainly were. While reading The Oklahoman daily newspaper, I found the story of Don Houston’s near-death ordeal. Don told me what happened.
Members of Faith Church, an Assembly of God congregation, Don had been general manager of a house building company that manufactured modular units. Congestive heart failure ran in his family, taking his father at 58 and his brother at 56. Don is in the 2% who survive this condition.
Because bronchitis caused Don to snore, Rita often slept in another room, but on this night she didn’t. In the middle of the night, she heard a “death rattle” and panicked. When she rolled Don over, there was no movement and nothing would wake him up. His tongue began to hang out. Rita called 911 for an ambulance as well as receiving instructions on performing CPR.
The ambulance attendants stuck needles in Don’s feet and received no response. He simply laid there not breathing. By the time he got to the hospital, the only things keeping him alive were machines. The doctors gave Rita no hope that he would regain consciousness and felt he wouldn’t make it. The best she could hope for was a nursing home.
Rita went into his secluded room and prayed. With Don’s two daughters, she made a prayer circle around the bed and began to pray fervently. “Jesus help us.”
And what was happening with Don?
Don became aware and looked around. He was in a totally white room with no windows and two distinct doors. The voice of God said, “Don, you had a heart attack.” The room suddenly lit up and arch-shaped widows appeared. Don saw figures walking by. The all had the same features, and the same colored hair. Each wore a white robe and Don thought they might look like Jewish people (though he really hadn’t been around Jews). He realized they were angels. Don felt totally peaceful with no worries.
Finally, one of the angels said, “Come with me.” The angel escorted him through what Don calls “the door of second chances.” Suddenly, he was back in his body.
His daughter had been holding his hand and felt a squeeze. The doctor thought the tug was only a reflex and took Don’s hand. Abruptly there was another squeeze. The doctor nearly fainted. He rushed out and brought in other doctors to observe Don.
Rita stared. Don’s eyes had always been a greenish brown. Now, they were the prettiest bright blue eyes, she had ever seen.
Today Don tells everyone that there is life after death. He says, “I do know for a fact. You’re not alone. You need to get God in your heart because you never know when you’re going to pass.”
Can we call the results a miracle? Even a skeptic has to throw in the towel on such a phenomenon. For all practical purposes, Don was dead and the medical profession did not expect a recovery. However we define life, Don Houston came back because he was filled with renewed life that only heaven can give.
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