90 Minutes in Heaven – 13 Oct 2008

Does God raise the dead today?

In 1989, Don Piper (an American pastor) was returning from a conference to his home in Texas when he was involved in a head on collision with a truck at a combined speed of perhaps 110 mph and was pronounced dead at the scene.  Shortly afterwards another pastor arrived on the scene and prayed for him – 90 minutes later he returned to life (having had no pulse moments before).  You can read his story in the book he wrote, “90 minutes in heaven”.

This was a book given to me soon after my Mum read it, although I didn’t get around to reading it until this year - a few weeks after she died.  I was certain that my Mum had arrived in Heaven and I felt a need to know a bit more about what it was like from someone who had “been there”.  Not everyone will believe the descriptions given in the book – but I find it encouraging and believe that God raised him from death.  Read the book, and make your own judgement!

In the Bible, Jesus raised several people from the dead.  Lazarus, brother of Martha and Mary, a dear friend of Jesus was raised after being dead for 4 days.  I feel sure he must have had a great tale to tell – unfortunately, we don’t have the record.

Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. "Take away the stone," he said.
 "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odour, for he has been there four days."

Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"

So they took away the stone.  Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me.  I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."

When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!"  The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go." John 11: 38-44 [NIV]

Thank you Lord for your power over life and death.  Thank you for the hope we have to be with you in heaven.  Give us faith to believe and trust in you.

Amen.