Today I would like to share with you an amazing story I came across recently about a man named Jim Woodford, now in his seventies, I think. Jim was born in Newfoundland and became one of the youngest qualified pilots in the world at age 19 and spent his career as a commercial pilot flying all over the world. He was a very successful pilot and business man and did very well for himself financially.
Jim was never a religious man. He believed in God, but just didn’t pay any attention to God or church practice, although his wife was a devout Christian.
Some time after he retired, he contracted a rare disease called Guillain-Barré, which attacks the nerves and causes severe pain and can leave you very debilitated, which it did. He ended up living in constant severe pain and very limited in what he could do. So he began to take strong pain killers.
One day when he was out on an errand in his pickup truck, he stopped on the crest of a hill to watch the sunset. Waiting for another burst of pain he noticed that he had some pain killers in the car. He reasoned that because he had built up quite a tolerance to the pain medication, he could take a few more than normal and so he did. He did not intend to overdose, but that is essentially what he did. He then found himself about to pass out and as he was fading away, he said the words, ‘God forgive me.’
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| Jim Woodford |
After some time he woke up and all the pain was gone. He got out of his truck, walked several yards and was amazed at how well he felt; no pain whatsoever. Then as he looked back at his truck he noticed that someone was in his truck. He was both surprised and angry. He started walking towards his truck and as he got closer and looked to see who was in his truck, he saw his own body there, slumped over the steering wheel, bleeding from his mouth. His soul had left his body, but he still had all his faculties, except no pain. He then found himself beginning to rise and going through a tunnel of light at great speed and finally coming to rest in a place of incredible beauty, the likes of which he had never seen before. He realized it must be heaven.
He also noticed what seemed to be a dividing line in front of him. To his right, this place of incredible beauty, but to his left a downward slope to a huge opening of darkness and swirling clouds, with a terrible stench. He knew this was hell. Then he began to see demons coming up for him, calling his name. At that moment he cried out three words, ‘God, save me!’
Suddenly he noticed from heaven, three bright lights coming towards him at great speed. They turned out to be angels who took him away from the precipice of hell and brought him into heaven. They then began to show him heaven in great detail. I won’t share with you his description of what he saw, because I wouldn’t do it justice and it is too long, but it is worth reading. The only thing I will add, is that he finally came to meet Jesus who was in blinding glory. And Jesus said to him, ‘James. What have you done with the life my Master gave you?’ He had no answer, as he realized that his life had been totally selfish. It wasn’t that he had done evil things, but everything he did was focused on himself and his own fulfillment.
Finally Jesus said to him, ‘James, my Son, this is not your time yet. Go back and tell your brothers and sisters of the wonders we have shown you.’
During this whole experience Jim had been clinically dead for eleven hours. The doctors kept his body alive so that his family could come to say a last goodbye to him, but he was clinically dead. Then, to everyone’s astonishment he started to wake up. Although there were tubes in his throat he immediately began trying to speak about Jesus and what he had seen, although it was hard to understand him. He remained in hospital for some time and eventually made a full recovery. He was also completely healed of all pain, although the evidence of the disease was still in his body. As you can imagine, from that time on, his life was completely different and he began to give his testimony, sharing his experience with people.
‘I know a man in Christ, who fourteen years ago, whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, only God knows, such a man was caught up to the third heaven… and heard inexpressible words which a man is not permitted to speak.’ (2 Cor 12:2-4).
In the Scriptures there are also several places where people have been shown parts of heaven and they always find it hard to put words on what they have described. ‘I saw what seemed to be like a human being…’
Why am I sharing this with you? We are not obliged to believe any of this, as it is just one individual’s experience. But God gives people experiences like this, to encourage us. Many people live in fear of death and what lies beyond. Will we know each other, will it just be some kind of semi-conscious state? Reading testimonies like Jim Woodward’s are inspiring and that is why God allows some people to have them, because we need encouragement and reassurance.
There is also something else worth pointing out. Although he was not a religious man and had lived a very self-centered life, just six words saved him: ‘God forgive me,’ when he was passing out, and ‘God save me,’ when he was about to go to hell. That is a reminder of the infinite mercy of God. The Lord promises his mercy to anyone who sincerely turns to him.
Think of the good thief dying beside Jesus on the cross. ‘Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ And Jesus replied, ‘I tell you, this day you will be with me in paradise.’
God has created us to be with him in heaven and God has already gone to the ends of the earth, through the death and resurrection of Jesus, so that that can happen. If this is what God wants for us, then that is where we will go if we make any effort to live as God asks us to live. it is not about living a perfect life, because there is no such thing, but about trying. The path to heaven is not an easy one.
‘Enter through the narrow gate. Wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction and many go enter it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to live and only a few find it.’ (Matt 7:13-14)
I believe one of the biggest challenges on our journey to God is just being faithful, keeping at it, getting up again each time we fall. That’s why it’s a narrow winding road, because trying to live as God asks us is demanding, but it is the road that leads to God!
‘Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus replied, ‘I tell you, this day you will be with me in paradise.’ (Luke 23: 42-43)
Jim Woodford's testimony is available through his website: www.jimwoodford.com and his book: Heaven: An Unexpected Journey.
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