Don Piper hears the voice of God

In "90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life" by Don Piper and Cecil Murphey, Piper tells the story of his first return to church after his terrible auto accident:

. . .I realized I had been foolish in wanting to come, because I wasn't up to the physical demands on my body. My stubbornness had overestimated by endurance.

Perhaps just as bad, I became completely overwhelmed at the congregation's loving response. I didn't know if I could speak. What could I say after all those weeks of absence and all I'd been through?

While I was still trying to figure that out, someone thrust a microphone in my hand. As I clutched it, I kept thinking, You people really have no idea how little I contributed to my recovery. You see it as a triumph. I see it merely as survival.

Just then spontaneous applause broke out. I had expected them to be glad to see me; I had not been prepared for the avalanche of praise to God. Every person in that building stood, and the applause began -- and it kept on for a long time. I finally waved them to stop.

As I stared at them, I felt guilty about their applause and excitement. I couldn't believe those people were applauding me. If they only knew, I thought. If they only knew.

Then God spoke to me. This was one of the few times in my life when I heard a very clear voice inside my head.

They're not applauding for you.

Just those words, but it made a difference and I could speak. Finally, I had it straight. They were giving thanks to God for what he had done for me. God had brought me back from death to life once again. I relaxed. This was a moment to glorify God. This wasn't praise for me. (pp. 120-121)