Cited in Practical Christianity No 207, Nov-Dec 1960, pages 14-15, published by the Officers’ Christian Union (now the Armed Forces’ Christian Union).
Bang! It was October 1944, and the Army assault course had become too much like the real thing as a hand grenade exploded close to a handful of us on a firing point. In a flash the light of day went out and I was plunged into the dark, unable to see. An ambulance had been standing by, and it wasn’t long before three of us were on our way to hospital. I cannot recall much of that day, but I do recollect a verse from the Bible coming to mind, ‘All things work together for good to them that love God’ (Romans 8:28). I remember, too, the ambulance stopping at the hospital and my saying to a nurse, “I can’t see!”
For a long time, I lay in the dark. The eye surgeon would come on his rounds and shine his little torch into my eyes. In the mercy of God and in answer to the prayers of many Christian friends, the day came when the sight was restored to my right eye – the other having been removed – and I could see again. I remember looking at my fingers and at the moonlight shining into the ward – how wonderful to be able to see! When I left the hospital, the senior surgeon described my recovery as ‘spectacular and unique’. Truly God had done great things for me.
This was an experience of physical blindness. The light of day went out and I was in the dark, unable to see. There is, however, a greater and far more serious darkness of which the Bible speaks – the darkness of living without God, the darkness of going one’s own way and running one’s own life without reference to God’s will and purpose, the darkness of being without Christ.
‘This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.’ (John 3:19) A man may have perfect sight and yet be in the dark. On the other hand, a person may be blind and yet have the light of God in his soul.
Jesus says, “I am the light of the world; he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life.” (John 8:12) None of us need say, “I can’t see.” If we will but put our trust in Christ Himself we will say with the man born blind, “One thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see.” (John 9:25)*Photo Credit: https://www.pexels.com/@cottonbro