Artificial Death

Sometimes things are not as they seem, but we make assumptions about certain appearances and behave according to our false beliefs. When Chen Qingwang went to check on her neighbor, 95-year-old Li Xiufeng, in her home in Beiliu, Guangxi Province, China, Xiufeng seemed to be dead in her bed, motionless, not breathing or responding to her name and efforts to get her out of bed.

So Quingwang and her son made funeral arrangements for Xiufeng who lived alone. Two weeks earlier Xiufeng had tripped and suffered a head injury. Everyone thought Xiufeng was dead. She looked dead. She acted dead, so she must be dead? According to Chinese tradition, Qingwang had Xiufeng placed in a coffin in Xiufeng's home that was unsealed, so that family and friends could pay their respects.

Six days after Qingwang found Xiufeng "dead" in her bed, Qingwang came back one day before Xiufeng's funeral to find no body in her coffin!

Xiufeng was found cooking in her kitchen. Xiufeng said she woke up so hungry that she forced herself out of her coffin and went to the kitchen to cook. Medics say Xiufeng experienced an "artificial death," which is when people have no breath, but their body is warm.

We don't know much about "artificial death," but God knows everything. God has many surprises about the human bodies He has designed and created. "God delights in concealing things; scientists delight in discovering things," says Proverbs 25:2 the Message Bible.

Some things that scientists do that we may imitate to help us handle situations that are artificially dead in a way that shows our appreciation, affirmation and adoration of our infinitely capable God:

• Scientists conquer their doubts and unbelief.
• Scientists don't assume things.
• Scientists investigate things.
  
• Scientists consult and collaborate with those full of wisdom, truth and ever-expanding knowledge.
• Scientists try to continuously learn as much as they possibly can.  
• Scientists believe the unexpected and even the impossible are possible.
• Scientists thoroughly test things.
• Scientists share and publish the results of their experiments.
• Scientists change their life based on the results of their experiments.  

Please share an on-line comment regarding some surprises from God.