My Heart Attack

In early October 2009 I suffered a Medium to major heart attack. We were told later that the circumferential artery was 95% blocked and I was kept in hospital until 5 days later I had a stent fitted. 

Earlier that evening just after 11pm my wife and I very quickly realised that we needed to “press the button” and the paramedics were with me in less than 10 minutes. I was drifting in and out of consciousness during the ambulance journey and the paramedic was tapping me firmly and shouting at me to stay with them. I remember being bounced out of the ambulance into the cold air and rushed into the hospital A & E department. My wife and son had arrived and were with me, although I was not aware of what was going on around me due to the pain, disorientation and all the staff.

I remember praying to Christ whilst in the A & E. The praying took the form of me accepting what was happening and that if Christ deemed that my time had arrived I was happy for Him to take me. I also remember saying to Christ that I would prefer, but only if it was His will, to be saved that night so that I could look after my wife and not leave her alone, we were both in our late 50’s. I followed this by saying that I accepted His decision either way. I found myself realising that I must do more to open the Bible to those who were frightened of using it because of the way that it had been presented to them previously. I don’t remember hearing Christ telling me to do this but it must have been His will because as I recovered in the following days this realisation became increasingly strong and has never left me.

After my recovery period I began to explore how to approach this new work for me. I felt that I should try to open up the Bible by using the understandings that Christ had led me to, but also by being careful to not be dogmatic about that approach. I felt that the general public have been bullied into Bible passages being used out of context and in a way that I have been shown is often not correct. Religions of the world seem to have adopted the prophets words in a manner which is used to strengthen the “church” hierarchy whilst suppressing the people. The “church” has tried, and largely succeeded, in placing themselves between God and the people as the only ones who can interpret the words of God through the Bible writings. They have failed to understand that the risen Christ is everyones High Priest and is available directly to all of us. It is Christ who we should turn to for help and advice in our everyday lives. My work continues as Christ directs me and as others ask, whilst on their path to further understandings.

Shajom