Jesus mediates with God
 the Father for Valvita!

From Rita Bennett's Book--"To Heaven & Back",

- True Stories of Those Who have Made The Journey

Forward by Steve K at BibleProbe.com:

Setting the Stage

Three months after a cesarean section, I entered Kansas University Medical Center because I had a serious infection in my reproductive organs. Just before leaving for the hospital, I began thinking I was going to die, though there wasn't any fear connected with it. As I looked at my relatives, a strange feeling came over me, as though I were seeing them for the last time.

While at the hospital, doctors tried antibiotics for several days to see if they could avoid major surgery, but they could not. I underwent a hysterectomy and all seemed well. Recuperating in the hospital three days later, I began feeling strange. Something was very wrong, so I called a nurse. Doctors discovered that I had double pneumonia, a blood clot, internal bleeding, and kidney failure.

Fighting for Life

Doctors rushed me to X ray, and during the test I drifted in and out of consciousness. At one point I heard the doctor in a loud voice asking the nurse to check my blood pressure. I heard the nurse answer, "Zero. Zilch." I realized they were fighting for my life.

Through all this physical trauma, I was talking to God and saying, "Why me? Why now?" I didn't want to die. I was asking God, "Why?" I never thought I'd say that, but I found myself questioning my situation, especially since something wonderful had happened while I was in the hospital. You see, we were about to adopt a son who had just been born. He and I were lying in the very same hospital.

My inner fight to live was taking every ounce of energy. I was trying to hold on to life for the people I loved-my daughter, and my husband, Walter. Pictures reeled through my mind of him coming to the hospital and finding me gone. I was praying a lot, asking for God's help.

Finally I realized what I was doing-trying to maintain control of my life. But if I was God's child and if it was my time to go, I should surrender myself. I asked him to forgive me for complaining, and I was at peace.

I then became extremely conscious of my breathing. It became slower and slower-a longer time between each breath. And each breath became deeper and deeper. I had never breathed so deeply in all my life. I started counting "one, two," and the third breath was the deepest, as if it came from my feet up. Then it was as if I became that third breath. Though I was that breath, I still knew I was a whole person.

Met by Jesus

Feeling so peaceful and free, I started moving upward. I realized my body was below me, and I vaguely remember observing efforts by the medical team to revive it. My main interest was that I was above the room. I was not even in the room but in the first sky. I say first sky in the heavens, because it seemed as though there were three heavens that I passed through.

At the first heaven I met a Being. Or I should say he met me. I recognized him as Jesus Christ, and he led me through the three heavens. When I think about Jesus' physical presence, it almost fades away, because the predominant feature is that he is love through and through. As I recall, he had dark brown wavy hair and an olive complexion. I looked into his eyes. They were piercing but loving, and as clear as blue water. You could almost see yourself mirrored in his eyes. When he looked at you, he looked straight through you and into you. You realized immediately that he knew all there was to know about you.

There now seemed to be a heavenly illumination that caused his hair to be light red and his eyes bluish, almost transparent, and his skin a light golden color. There is no way to fully describe his coloring. It is like another world's color. It's Shekinah glory, iridescent golden light glowing through him. In his resurrection body, his coloring is uniquely different from anything on earth.

Before the Most High

I'll tell you what happened in the three heavens. The first heaven was light blue in color but brilliant, and so unlike anything I've seen that I can't fully describe it. It opened up, split down the middle as though along a seam, and both sides rolled back like paper scrolls. This happened as fast as a snap of my fingers. We went through two more skylike heavens, which also rolled back one after the other.

In a matter of seconds I found myself before the Most High. The Most High is the term I use because I recognized the presence of God the Father. In looking at Him, I couldn't really see Him, but there was an awesome glory, an awesome presence. You could feel it everywhere, and I realized that He was on the throne. When I tried to see what the throne was like, I discovered it was invisible. I knew it was there; I just could not see it! It was so big that it extended all the way to earth; earth is part of that throne. This was an incredible awareness. Stunned by it all, I felt as small as a little ant, so insignificant. Trembling, I found myself prostrate. While I was lying there on my face, He spoke to me. It was unlike the mental speech between Christ and me, because the Father sounded like many waters rushing. I lay there a very long time, with God speaking to my soul. The words He spoke to me can't be recalled, but they were about me and my life.

As I lay there I relived every instance of my existence, every emotion and thought. I saw why I was the way I was; I reexperienced the way I had dealt with people and they with me. I saw where I could have done better. I felt emotions I was ashamed of, yet I realized there were things I had done well and felt good about. As we looked at different scenes, I would respond, "Yes, I see how I could have done it another way, a better way." I wondered how anyone could feel worthy in God's presence. I wasn't condemned, but I didn't feel worthy. It's hard to explain. The whole time that was going on, for how long I don't know, I kept praising God.

With the ending of my life review, I felt absolutely unworthy of being there in the presence of this magnificent Light; unworthy in comparison to the grand scheme of things. It is all so beautiful, and what am I? I said this to God. Then Jesus' hand touched me, and I was able to get back on my feet because I had previously had no strength. Taking me by the hand, he led me to the side of a main arena. He looked into my eyes, into my soul, and I knew He knew and understood everything I felt. When Jesus looked into me, it was with more love than I ever thought possible for anyone to know. He smiled, one look letting me know everything would be all right.

The Bridge

With this reassuring look He (Jesus) led me to one side. He stepped away from me and went alone into the Light. Where Christ's light ended and God the Father's began, I cannot say. They both gave off light and their light was the same light! I will never forget this as long as I live. When Christ stepped away from me, he turned sideways and stretched out his arms as a bridge. One arm extended to me and one to the Father. His arms were extended as if they were making a cross and a bridge to cross over.

It was like a visual representation of the Scripture: "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all" (1 Tim 2:5-6). God is on one side, and all the people are on the other side. Jesus himself is between human beings and his Father to bring them to Him. Christ made this possible by giving his life for all people. Everything I knew from Scripture was flashing into my mind.

Then I heard the Father and Son communing about my case. Jesus said, "My blood is sufficient. She's mine!" When He said that, all the doubts about my unworthiness disappeared. I jumped up and down, shouting and rejoicing. I have never been so happy in all my life! The kind of love I felt is beyond explanation. I kept saying, "Oh my God. Oh, my God. This is my Mediator. This is my Advocate." Just as I read in the Bible.

Jesus came back to where I was and looked at me again with comforting love. We rejoiced together. He went on teaching me and talking to me a lot, but I don't recall the details. Now being so free and so loved, I never wanted to leave his side. I told him so, but a look in his eyes said I had to return.

I asked, "Must I really leave?"

He looked at me with tenderness and said, "Yes, because there is work I have for you to do."

Coming back into my body in intensive care was as quick as my journey out had been. It seemed like the speed of light. Christ brought me back. I looked at his sweet face for the last time, a face I could have looked at forever. Next thing I knew, I was looking into the face of a friend who had gotten into intensive care by saying she was my sister. I didn't realize where I was. When I saw her face, I was shocked because Jesus was gone so fast.

Looking for his face but seeing her face, I was disappointed. She told me later there was a look on my face that she had never seen before. She was confused-and a little hurt-by my response to her. After a full explanation later, she realized that I truly had been happy to see her.

Changed Life

Following my recovery, I took an art class in oil painting. I kept trying to capture the "colors of Jesus" on canvas. That's all I could paint. I painted him in all colors, all styles, but it is impossible to capture that color. The students lovingly teased me, saying I was a "Jesus girl."

But my obsession with painting Jesus was a mild change compared to other areas of my life. Perhaps the biggest turnabout was my point of view. Before my NDE I used to fuss and bicker with Walter about petty concerns. I had wanted many things for myself. When I came back, I had a different appreciation for human relationships. They are so important. Much of what we think of as important isn't important at all.

In 1986 I felt the Lord telling me, "Feed my sheep." This was at a time when Walter and I began a shelter for the homeless. We were called to that work for several years. I guess there are different ways we can feed his sheep or his lambs. Care of children is another way, and currently I'm a foster parent. We care for five children in our home.

After having this fantastic near-death experience, I thought I should be doing big, wonderful projects for God. He has shown me that life is not about doing big things, but about doing whatever I do for Him. While I was in heaven, God did not give me a specific commission that I know of, but my strongest sense is that my purpose is to love.

 

See other possible "peeks" at Heaven (and Hell) here