For Such a Time as This

 

The true story about my broken back (at 18 years of age), by Ben Bonk ...

January 1st, 1975, I woke up Wednesday morning to see heavy wet snow outside my bedroom window. It wasn’t long till my buddies and I met for breakfast and talked about sledding and the such.

I had to be home by 4 that afternoon because my parents were having many guests over for amazing food and celebrating the new 1975. My parent’s Jesus loving testimony was very well known.

My buddies and myself agreed to see what we can find in the garage/shed at our friend’s house. Something that can be used for sliding down the hills.

I quickly discovered an old lid from a wringer washer machine which I knew would be better than perfect on the snow.

The 4 of us headed to Burnaby Mountain. It’s called a mountain yet it is only about 400 metres in height.

We parked our cars and walked to the snow covered hillside.

The hill that looked perfect would within a few hours bring me to a painful life changing breaking point in my life.

The 4 of us were having a great time with much laughter sliding down that hill.

The top of this hill had a snow covered sidewalk which made an ideal place for us to launch our sliding.

After a couple hours of this fun I couldn’t get my eyes off the primary hill that sloped steeply to the snow covered sidewalk and then continued onto the hill we were sliding down.

My first thought regarding the large hill was ‘what would everyone think of me if I slid down that hill using this washing machine lid.’

So I started walking and slipping while making my way up that hill. Once on top I then realized how high it was. Perhaps a bit too high.

I placed the lid on the edge that I would start from. I yelled several times “GET OUT OF WAY!” to those standing on the sidewalk separating the two hills.

I gave myself a gentle push and within seconds I realized how fast I was going. Plus sliding backwards made this a total out of control disaster.

Sliding uncontrollably I slid into a snow covered embankment which sent me into the air during which the lid I was sliding on left my grip.

I landed backwards on a steel drain grate tailbone first which sent a loud cracking sound to base of my skull. I screamed ‘MY BACK!!’ as I proceeded sliding down the 2nd hill on my now broken back.

I ended up amongst trees and bushes whilst yelling and crying.

My friends arrived and heard me yell ‘MY BACK.’ The pain was explosive. No idea what damage I caused to my back.

While laying on the snow, within my heart I started to scream at God. My anger was a Godless hell filled anger towards God.

My friends seeing me could not hear my rage but they saw my expression and tears.

I blamed God for:

Me being a crippled son for my parents.

Me losing my job.

Me losing my car.

And what will others think of me now.

I didn’t know it then, but

these were my first loves.

I laid in my crippled position on the snow for some time.

This severe pain would not ease up. The only word that would describe my pain would be the word ‘explosion.’

My horrible anger towards God remained as I asked God to be with my parents as they get the news. The news their son would be crippled.

At that very second I was filled completely with God’s love and forgiveness. From the top of my head to the soles of my feet I was filled. And I mean filled!

I then cried and cried and cried and words of repentance gushed from my heart.

My friends standing by me must have thought I was going through more horrible pain.

God’s presence was as real as I was. Very real. His love and forgiveness was complete. Absolutely no room for doubt.

Eventually the ambulance came and I was placed on a spine board.

Even in the ambulance I felt God’s amazing forgiving presence and peace.

We arrived at the Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster.

Once I was in my ward my friends came and stood by the front of the bed and talked amongst themselves.

In the bed I could not raise my head nor could I move my legs. These movements would bring horrible piercing pain throughout my body.

I asked my best friend Allen (also a preacher’s kid and currently pastoring a church)to call my dad and tell him what happened. I was supposed to be home by 4.

Eventually I was given painkillers which helped a bit with the pain.

While laying in bed with my eyes partially closed Allen said “John is here.”

John was my dad’s assistant pastor.

Pastor John was a tall very soft spoken man of God. He never spoke thunder but spoke peace and forgiveness.

He asked if he could show my friends my legs. I said yes and he moved the bed sheet up to my knees.

I saw my friends drop their jaws and looked at me and one of them asked me ‘how do you do that?’

I had no idea what he was asking.

John looked at me and said “Ben, your right leg is 7 inches shorter than your left leg.”

At those very words I felt fear. Real fear. In my heart I called to Jesus. That fear was a dark helpless fear. An absolute horrible hopeless feeling.

John then asked if he could pray for me. I said yes and John put his fingers round my right ankle.

He prayed “Jesus, thank you for your faithfulness. Now in the name of Jesus heal Ben’s back.”

Immediately my right leg started to grow. About 4 seconds later the right leg was made normal.

No coaxing and talking, only letting the miracle happen.

Sounds of small cracks and 1 large crack. It happened without pain. Seconds before this the pain was horrible.

I saw the look on my friends faces. 3 jaws just hung opened. 1 friend asked ‘how did you do that?’

John then reset the bed sheet and told me ‘say hi to your dad’ and then he left.

God’s presence never left nor forsook me.

He never condemned me.

Closer than a loving brother.

Within 3-4 weeks I was back at work. During my weeks at home my place of work delivered my 2 pay cheques to my house.

Also gradually throughout the recouping (muscle spasm)days my spirit’s desire was continually being checked in correcting the Ben first idea and gradually into a walk with faith in God.

My complaints to God before my healing:

1:Me being a crippled son for my parents. I CAME HOME HEALED!

2:Me losing my job. I KEPT MY JOB!

3:Me losing my car. I KEPT MY CAR!

4:And what will others think of me. MY WALKING BY FAITH BEGAN!

Even though this happened in 1975 I can still recall as if it were a year ago.

 

Ben

Jesus said:

”… And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28‬:‭20‬ ‭

Empty Buildings

Earlier today I was thinking about all the massive buildings around our world that are now sitting empty.  As thoughts started to take shape, this poem was created. 

 

Empty Buildings

Where once 

Was love

Laughter

Shoulder to shoulder

Bench touching bench

Peals of screams

At a touchdown

Or basket ball

Falling through a hoop

Loud cheering

At a hockey puck

Reaching a goal

Fans raising hands

Arms waving

Like Palm Sunday

At a rock band

Screaming for more

Going home empty

No better than before

Paying a fortune

For concerts and events

While children have starved

And those on the street

Have fought for their life

With no place to sleep

Empty stadiums

Full wallets

But empty hearts

While hungry beggars

Watched and wondered

What is life really all about?

Empty schools

Devoid of laughter

And art and music

A divine parade of

Little hands holding hands

Devoid of truth

Devoid of God

Divine instruction

And discipline that shows

True caring

Empty churches

Pew after pew

Were these rows filled

To be entertained

Or did they once

Bend a knee in humility to Me?

Church recreation

The new norm

And yet so little prayer

Where is the seeking

Of My holiness

And the cross and the thorn?

Empty marketplaces

Where money spent

Was never enough

The mall stole My Sundays

And now they are silent

And the idols of desire

Collect dust on the shelves

What is life really

But a vapor in time?

God breathed life in you

With a purpose

His purpose

To fulfill you

With His life

He gave to you

On the cross

Empty heart

Filled with things of this world

Let Him come in

And make all things new

Fulfill your life

With His love and pure truth

That’s what this is all about ...

1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 

1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 

God is in Control, not the Corona Virus

My Help Comes from the Lord

Psa 121:1  A Song of degrees. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

Psa 121:2  My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

Psa 121:3  He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Psa 121:4  Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

Psa 121:5  The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.

Psa 121:6  The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

Psa 121:7  The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

Psa 121:8  The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

This morning the above scriptures came to mind (verse 2). My help comes the from the Lord. I’ve been reading all the drastic headlines and stories about the corona virus until I’m so discouraged, I can hardly get out of bed! They say we could be in this state (self-isolation) for up to 18 months and it will come and go in waves. The economy will likely collapse. Then what? Truly it is a demonic scourge on the world.

And then the Lord reminded me that without Him, there is no hope, in this life or the next, with or without the virus. Where does our help come from? It comes from the Lord, the One who created the world and us in the first place; it’s His. It doesn’t belong to the virus. And I am His. I don’t belong to the world or the virus. And hopefully, you can say the same, that you belong to the Lord.

So, in light of this, I thought ever deeper about what God could possibly be working out through allowing this deathly frightening virus to invade all of our lives. I thought it must be temporary because His Word says to “Go out and preach the Gospel to every creature,” so how can you do that when you are in quarantine and self isolation? I know there’s social media, but how effective is that? Will people read the Bible online or be led away by all the other information vying for our attention, namely the corona virus stories? To me the whole pandemic and how it operates goes completely against Scripture, plus it is fuelled by fear. God’s Word says fear is a spirit. And God removes that for Christians, so we have no fear in sharing the Gospel to the lost:

2Ti 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

2Ti 1:8  Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

2Ti 1:9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

I’m not saying to go out and defy the self-distancing request. I’m saying, take a look at what God’s Word says because it is based on solid truth. God cannot lie. His Word trumps the virus, and all the negative news and naysayers in the world and beyond!

So, what is God’s purpose in all of this? Many things have come to mind for me.

Mostly, this is a time of reckoning for reckless living. We reap what we sow.

Those who put their trust in money, the stock exchange, their job and paycheque will be severely impacted by being house bound and social distancing. Those who focused on their sports, travel, booze, recreational drugs, or any other entertainment, and anything else over and above a first love for God, will have to face the consequences of laying down their idols of pleasure. The pain of detox and withdrawal may occur. And even other people can become an idol if we turn to them rather than God first. Hence, the social distancing.

For Christians, we need to make sure we love Jesus first and foremost (the first commandment), and none of this should affect us, except in a good way. Perhaps we have become too worldly minded that we are no heavenly good! We need to heed the following:

Col 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Now is the time to seek the Lord! Lay down those idols of travel, entertainment, sports, movies or anything else that has taken God’s FIRST place in our hearts.

As Christians, we are filled with hope. We serve a mighty awesome God, there is none to compare. We have our faithful Lord to see us through anything. We have His Word filled with promises. He has our back. He is the one in control of every situation. He determines the day of our birth and the day of our death. And remember, the Apostle Paul said it is better to be with the Lord. We have nothing to fear. Jesus has overcome this virus and every other sickness and disease when He died on the cross and rose again! By His stripes we ARE HEALED!

But, let’s never take Him for granted. How much prayer are we doing? Are we going out and taking this power we have through prayer and covering the grocery store, hospitals, pharmacy and other public places each time we go out to get something? Let’s remember that the length of this pandemic, according to Scripture, will in all likelihood have to do with our prayer life and getting our hearts right with God in every area of our lives. This is pleasing to God, and He will respond. He’s not our sugar daddy, there to magically whisk away the pandemic. No! He is Sovereign and Holy. He will not go against His Word, but we must do what His word says!

2Ch 7:13  If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;

2Ch 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

We may read this and go, “What wicked ways?” Maybe we think we’re above “wicked ways.” We are not to judge ourselves. God knows our hearts. The concept and desired outcome remain the same. We need to sincerely seek God’s face, ask Him to search our hearts, and pray.

Perhaps we’ve been so busy running around day to day that we have neglected the most basic things: prayer and Bible study. Let’s get back to those things and seek God’s face; it’s time to return to our FIRST LOVE, Jesus, the Redeemer of our souls. We are not desperate like the world is, but we are here to make a difference. Let’s do that and remember, there is nothing to fear if you serve the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus.

1Jn 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

1Jn 4:18  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

NOTE: If you are reading this and you have not yet given your heart and life to Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, who died for you and loves you, please go to this link. There’s a guide to help you find your way. Please don’t delay. While protecting yourself from the virus is important, your salvation is ultimately THE MOST IMPORTANT decision you will ever make.  Remember, there is only one brief life here on earth, and there’s no turning back. Eternity is forever!  Ensure you make the right decision to enter God’s heaven.  Please contact us via our webpage for spiritual help, prayer, or further information.