How I Met God in the Middle of the Night

Recently I went through some serious medical issues. While I was teaching at a software conference in San Francisco, I became very sick. For over 15 years I have had a problem with fluid build up in my legs. While I was at the conference my left leg became infected. I had a fever of 103 and bouts of hallucinations. I was so sick that I didn't even know I was seriously sick. My wife nursed me and kept me going. My company said I should go home. But between my not realizing how sick I was and my "Get it done" philosophy, I taught all of my classes. My company did rent one of those powered scooter chairs. When we left San Francisco to come back to Michigan, the airline went above and beyond to help me get home. But I was so tired when we got home, I told my wife I needed a couple of hours of sleep before we went to the emergency room. Being of advancing years I went to the hospital that is supposed to be the local specialists in seniors. They immediately started me on an antibiotic cocktail of four different drugs via IV.

I couldn't walk so I had a commode next to my bed. After my first day I knew something was wrong but couldn't get anyone to check it out. (Hold on we're getting to the spiritual part.) Come to find out I had three bleeding ulcers. By the time some looked at it I was moved to critical care then to intensive care where they gave me four units of whole blood two at at time. I eventually had a procedure to fix the ulcers but not till I had a fifth unit of blood. After 14 days in the hospital, I went home. Six days later I am still bleeding internally and headed back to the hospital. This time I went to a different hospital as I was displeased with the first one.

I could still barely walk on my left leg so I am back on the commode. This time the procedure fixed the ulcer that was still bleeding but still I was in that hospital for six days. all of this time flat on my back in bed. My bad leg would only let me sleep if I was on my back with pillows propping my leg up.

Now, what do you do in bed for 20 days flat on your back in bed? There is nothing on TV except an old movie or two. You can't read, your arms get too tired holding a book over your head. And you can only sleep so many hours a day. So I began to pray, a lot. Prayer and meditation. Then one night, during my second hospital trip, at four in the morning, having already slept all I could, I'm praying. No words, just feelings about God. Then it happened, He came to me. You don't see God, you are just suddenly aware He is there and looking at you. For about five minutes I just basked in his intense love. Neither of us spoke. Me, I was overwhelmed and just lay there crying tears of joy. He didn't need to speak. I fully knew that He was there and why, to bring me comfort.

I know there are people that will say it was fatigue or the drugs. But I  know better. And if you have ever had a visit from God, so do you.


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