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 ‭

The Conditions of Unconditional Love

Not too long ago I was in conversation with a woman who is struggling to understand the meaning of true Christianity.  She didn't think it was right that a person be subject to all these rules and regulations, and try to be religious.  In fact, she believed it was just as simple as "doing unto others what you would have them do unto you."  

I thought about that, and although it rings so true, I immediately thought about the great cost that Jesus paid when He died on the cross for us and He did it purely out of love for us.  Then I thought about how we can take too lightly this great love He has for us.  Perhaps we do this because after we've been a Christian for awhile and we go through too many trials and tribulations, we can tire out, lose heart, and we can lose the zeal and deep thankfulness for all that Jesus has done for us.  We may still do things out of obedience to the Word, but our heart is not in it.  We are not sold out for God in a way that we pour our love back to Him, with a thankful and grateful heart, and a mouth full of praise to Him just because of Who He is.  

In fact, this is where the Church of Ephesus failed. They did the good works, but Jesus rebuked them because they left the most important thing undone, they left their first love.

Rev 2:2  I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

Rev 2:3  And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

Rev 2:4  Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

Perhaps we have taken for granted His unconditional love for us, and fail to worship Him and serve Him with all that we are and have. And yet loving Him is the greatest commandment He has given us.

Mat 22:37  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Mat 22:38  This is the first and great commandment.

Mat 22:39  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Mat 22:40  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

It's interesting how easily we can get into doing good works and think that this is all that is required.  After all it is much easier than dying to our own self, and offer ourselves as a living sacrifice, someone fit for Him to use to bring about His righteousness where evil wants to prevail.  

Loving Him is in response to the fact that He loves us and proved it so by laying down His life for us, forgiving us of an impossible debt we owed him and could not ever pay with our own good works.

Then there's the fact that He bought us, and we no longer belong to ourselves to do as we please.

2Co 5:15  And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

1Co 6:20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

1Co 7:23  Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

In reality, we must love God no matter how we feel or what we may be going through, and this involves trust.  The more we pray and read His Word, the more we learn to trust Him.  This is the two-way street in our relationship to Him.  As in any relationship, we need to do our part in order for things to work, and in our relationship with God it is imperative that we respond wholeheartedly to this great love that cost Him His life.

And so, how do we respond and love God in return?  I found this one day when I was thinking about how we can take God's love for granted and think that there is nothing more we need to do.  It spoke to me about upholding His high standards not as a religious ritual but more as a response to the great love He has for us.

Eph 5:2  And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

Eph 5:3  But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

Eph 5:4  Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

Eph 5:5  For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Eph 5:6  Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

Eph 5:7  Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

Eph 5:8  For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Eph 5:9  (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

Eph 5:10  Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

These verses are saying that the way we love God is to recognize that we are set apart for the purposes of God, and we are not meant to mimic the ways of the world.  His Spirit produces fruit that is good, righteous and truthful, all based on His great love for us.  That should be our barometer.

Are there conditions we must meet in order for God to love us? Absolutely not.  That’s the most astounding thing. But we must never take His love for granted, and He clearly tells us in His Word how to respond to His great love for us.  In my own experience, the love of God changed my life and continues to challenge me consistently and insistently to love God first and also love others.  Many times I will get too busy and fail, and God will have to nudge me. He came to earth with one sole purpose - to seek and to save that which is lost, and that is every single one of us!  His job is not done for many are still lost and do not know this great incredible perfect loving God who chooses to love us first and more than He even loved His own life.  Let us keep this as our driving force, to love Him with a zeal, a passion and a fervency, and to spread it around every chance we get.