Sometimes I stumble upon a “light through the cracks” story, which overwhelms me in the magnitude of the miracle involved, and this is one of them.
According to all medical expertise, American evangelist, Lee Stoneking, is not meant to be alive.
One time, at the end of a trip to Australia, where he had been preaching and teaching throughout the nation, he was about to head home, when he suffered a huge heart attack at the airport in Sydney. He fell backwards and cracked his head on the concrete floor.
Paramedics tried no less than ten times (!) to get his heart beating again, using electric shock treatment. But he was declared dead, and his corpse was put into the ambulance, ready to be taken to the hospital morgue.
As his dead body lay on the stretcher in the ambulance, his blood coagulating, Jesus came, ministered to him and healed him – and his heart suddenly started to beat again.
He had been clinically dead for 45 minutes.
It made no medical sense.
Yet his recovery was so complete that he was later told that, not only had his heart been fully healed, but his DNA had also been miraculously healed, and he no longer had any propensity to heart disease within his genetic make-up.
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A few years ago, he was given the opportunity to address global leaders at the General Assembly of the United Nations, where he courageously testified to the way that Jesus had raised him from the dead!
It will take you six minutes to watch his address to the UN here – and I highly recommend it!
If this sparks an interest, then you can read more about his resurrection miracle here, and you can watch him tell the full back story of his life here.
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When I watch Lee Stoneking speaking to the UN, what strikes me most is his boldness, gentleness and respectfulness. His boldness in courageously communicating the content of his message, and his gentleness in the respectful way in which he communicates it.
For most of us, it’s unlikely we will ever be given this type of platform.
But what about other opportunities that come our way? Are we bold in testifying to what Jesus has done for us? Are we gentle in our manner of delivery?
In 1 Peter 3:15 in the Bible, we are encouraged to: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
If you have faith in Jesus, how prepared are you to talk about it? If you are asked, do you have an answer to give? And do you seek to do this with gentleness and respect?
As ever, your thoughts and reflections are welcome in the comments below.
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P.S. One final thought:
If you like this story, then you might like some of the other modern-day miracle resurrection stories that I have shared on my blog – including this one about a pastor who had a cardiac arrest and died at a trampoline park, and this one about two people who had completely contrasting out of body experiences on surgical operating tables, one heading for hell, the other for heaven.
There’s also a story in my book, “Light through the Cracks: How God Breaks In When Life Turns Tough“, about a boy who was left clinically brain dead after a hammock accident. (It’s Chapter 8, “Nothing can separate us“.)
Let’s just say that God is still in the resurrection business today!
6 Comments
Jo, once again, such a moving post. I loved the video of Lee Stoneking speaking to the UN. What a gentle and humble man. I love these stories of God’s miraculous work through ordinary people. Again, a story of God’s goodness and love. Oh, how God loves us!
Thanks for your encouragement, Janet! And yes, I agree with you about Lee Stoneking’s gentleness and humility. He seems so ordinary, doesn’t he? Yet God chose to give him such an extraordinary testimony. It’s amazing!
Wow! That is such a powerful testimony. What a shame the UN audience don’t look more engaged in what he is saying!
I know what you mean about the audience, Mary, but I think we can extend them grace, given most of them are listening to the story through simultaneous translation!
I watched both his speeches at the UN, in 2015 and 2023, and it encouraged me in troubled times. However, after looking through his testimony on his website, there seem to be some rather dubious accounts and mix-matched statements.
The official medical record isn’t written like an official medical record, and I don’t think a doctor would address a patient as a brother, even if they know them or are in the same church or congregation. I also couldn’t find the doctor’s name or specialism when I searched for it.
I do think that his testimony is powerful, but I think he might have embellished some of the facts.
Proverbs 14-15-16 (ERV)
Only a fool believes everything he’s told! A wise person understands what he’s saying. A wise person is careful and stays out of trouble, but a fool is careless and reckless
I hope he gains discernment and speaks the truth.
Thanks for commenting on this post, Luke. In the past, I used to work in international development and, as part of that, my work took me to the UN. So I’ was particularly encouraged by this testimony, and the way it was presented to the UN. But I hear what you’re saying, and I’m grateful for you pointing out your observations. Thank you.