Ministry Moments:
Blind in one eye
by Lynn Ridenhour
I went from Milldale Bible Camp to Grace Bible Camp.
Both camps were located in Louisiana. One in Zachary, the other in Eros.
Brother Elton T. Woods, a true hillbilly preacher, asked me to come and be the
co-pastor with him. I was especially happy, for I wanted to learn Greek. Frank
Wilson, Greek scholar from Chicago, also worked with Brother Woods, and taught
Greek there at the camp.
Grace Bible Camp was located on ten acres that was formerly a public grade
school. I never will forget how Brother Woods acquired the property. He told
me, one day he was driving by and told the Lord, "…that sure would
make a good Bible camp…"
"…Why don’t you ask me for it and I’ll give it to you,"
said the Lord.
Brother Woods stopped the car, pulled into the school parking lot, knelt
there in the gravel, and asked God for the deserted school property.
There was nothing wrong with the property. The buildings were in excellent
condition. The school had simply merged with another. The state closed the
school and put the property up for sale.
Brother Woods went to the bidding auction to acquire the property. I never
will forget. There were five businessmen present that evening that wanted the
property. Before the bidding started, Brother Woods went around to each of the
five men, sticking his finger in their noses, and saying to them, "…you’re
not going to bid for this property, and you’re not going to bid, neither are
you, and you’re not either, nor you. None of you are. The Lord wants us to
have this property to start a Bible camp…"
And he sat down, waiting for the bidding to begin.
No one bid but Brother Woods. And he bid $10,000. That’s all. He got it!
The property sold for $10,000. The cafeteria alone was worth more than that.
Brother Woods purchased the ten acres, which included seven school buildings,
a cafeteria and gymnasium. This man was rough around the edges but he loved
God. And God honored his prayers. We converted the Principal’s office into a
one-room apartment and I lived there. Ate my meals in the cafeteria.
The Lord at the time was pouring out his Spirit and Don Akers, friend and
Baptist minister, asked me to come preach in his church one Sunday evening. I
was glad to. I rode to church with Don. Before the service, the pastor always
met with his deacons to pray. We were seated in a small Sunday School room
with seven of his deacons when the Lord spoke to me, "…I want you to
pray for that man’s eye. He’s blind in his left eye…"
I sat there staring at him, not trying to bring attention to myself. Once
in awhile the deacon would glance over at me and I would look away. I was
wrestling with the Lord. "…But Lord, his eye looks perfectly normal
to me…" I was thinking, "…what if he’s not blind in that
eye and I call him forward to pray for it?…" I had never met the man.
All of us struggle with our faith at times.
We men prayed together, asking the Lord to bless this evening’s service,
then dismissed to go into the sanctuary. I struggled through the entire song
service. I was sitting on the front row waiting for my turn to preach when I
noticed the deacon had moved from the back of the church to directly behind
me. I thought it was a bit strange but dismissed the thought and was soon
behind the pulpit preaching.
I preached with some unction that night. These people loved God. It was
easy preaching. When I was through, the pastor pronounced the benediction and
people began to file out of the building. Finally, I said, "…please,
may I have your attention…" Everyone stopped and looked my way. "…I
must obey the Lord…" I looked at the deacon, "…sir, would
you mind coming forward. The Lord spoke to me before the service. He wants me
to pray for your eye…"
He was deeply moved. I could tell.
The humble deacon came to the front of the church, turned around to face
the people, and said, "…the Lord spoke to me tonight too before the
service to pray for this young man. I was afraid to. I don’t know him. I
even moved up behind him during the song service to lay my hands on his head,
but couldn’t."
I was deeply moved.
Then he broke down and began to sob. "…I have been praying for
years for the Lord to send someone by that would pray for my eye. I’m blind
in one eye."
"…Is it the left one, sir?…"
He shook his head and continued sobbing.
"…Then we’re going to pray for it…"
I called for the anointing oil and anointed his eye. And asked the Lord to
heal it. Nothing happened. But I had begun to walk by faith. I knew it was my
job to obey the Lord. It was his job to decide when to manifest the healing. I
went home that evening feeling good on the inside.
I was working as a sales clerk at a local hardware store in Alexandria. One
afternoon about two weeks later around lunchtime I noticed the deacon come
busting through the front door. I’m standing in the aisle. He walks right up
to me, takes my hand, smiling from ear to ear, and says, "…Brother
Ridenhour, the Lord has given me my sight in my eye. I can see out it! I’m
going now to get my driver’s license. Thank you. Thank you…" And
he walked out stepping a mile high.
I whispered, "…thank you, Lord…" and went back to
work.
