I would like to tell a story to all of you who believe in God. I was only eight years old when I lost my left eye from chopping wood. Through the years I have had over sixty operations where the doctors have tried to reconstruct the eye socket. Anyone who has had surgery knows that today with the anesthesia you blink your eyes and you are either in the recovery room or back in your room. With Sodium Pentothal it is impossible to dream as it is with most of the anesthesias used today.

In nineteen eighty to my horror I had to have surgery again because of an infection in my eye socket. I really did not want to have surgery again, I was sick and tired of having them. The doctor said if I did not have the surgery then the infection would go into my good eye so here I was again in the hospital.

I was new to Christianity and so my faith was not quite what it should be. I was trying to change my life and even had a small Gospel singing group called ‘The Originals’. We sang in churches and other places. Anyway my girlfriend and the whole group were there in the hospital the day of surgery. I know this may sound crazy but is the truth. I am sure everyone has heard of the movie, ‘Lilies of the Field’ starring Sidney Poitier. The song he sang was one of my favorites so I told all that were there with me that if I did not make it through the surgery that I would like them to sing Lilies of the Field.

Once into the surgery I began to dream or at least that is what I call it. I dreamt that I was back in my room and everyone there was crying and singing ‘Lilies of the Field’. I am sure everyone who has heard this song knows how many ‘Amen’s’ are in that song. Now every time the word ‘Amen’ was said, my head literally exploded. I am here to tell you that this seemed to last until eternity and then just as suddenly, it was all over. I was back in my room and everything had gone great. I didn’t understand how or why this had happened until much later.

I was reading the Bible one day and to my surprise I read a passage or at least I thought I read it. It said something to the fact that either Peter or Paul allowed someone to visit Satan for a short period of time that he learn not to blaspheme. To this day I have been unable to find that passage so whether God had spoken to me or what I can not say. The one thing I knew at the time was I realized that ‘Hell’ could be  part of living with the worst pain anyone has ever been through and have to live that pain for all eternity. For me the pain I felt as my entire head was exploding was the worst I had ever felt in my life. I have had plenty of pain since childhood but nothing compared to what I had experienced during that surgery.

I have had numerous surgeries since and each time was like normal, you go in, blink you eyes and your out. So whether it was God showing me or if I really read it, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that I never want to go to ‘Hell and experience that pain again. I have since tried very hard to change my ways. Not that I don’t mess up because I do but this time I know God is there to help me clean up my messes. God loves each and every one of us and forgives us with unconditional love.

Praise God in the highest

Milton Niles

At last I have the answer to the verse I have been talking about.

Thanks to Jerry

KJV 1st Timothy1:20