A good friend of mine is the Director of air traffic control for US Airways in Phoenix. He commented on flight 1549's "crash" landing in the Hudson river as "a whole bunch of miracles." I would have to agree!
As a Christian, every time I fly I know that I am entrusting my life to God's hands in a very tangible way. No longer will I laugh at the flight attendants' mention of the floatation devices in case of a water landing. I used to think, "yeah,right,if we crash in the water, we're dead.........duh!" Apparently not!!!
I am convinced that God had a plan for that flight and his will was accomplished. I marvel at the story of some parents on that flight that had 2 lap children; a 9 month old and a 2 year old. The dad was holding the 2 year old and another male passenger asked them, in that split second, if they wanted him to hold their baby to "brace" for the crash landing.......Could you even imagine? We try the best to protect our children and in a moment like this we trust a stranger to hold them best and help in the crisis? What a nice person to offer that kind of help.
I also heard there were a lot of prayers once the passengers knew they lost their engines. Were those the same passengers that also prayed at take off? Or, had something dramatically changed in their spiritual life in that fateful moment? I find it very interesting how so many would ask for "God's" help in a minute of panic, but might possibly forget Him entirely once back on "solid ground," forgive the punn.
I wonder how many of us can rest in God's loving Soverignty no matter what the circumstance? How many people are able to trust God's wisdom and goodness to the point of death? Honestly, I don't know how people live, let alone fly, without the assurance of God's good hands holding the world!
There is no fear in love. That is freeing. If God is in control and we know He loves us, we don't have to worry about what will happen next; we can just enjoy the ride!
Way too many of us are not "bracing for impact." We don't realize it's coming, but it is. Brunt force, full speed. No easy landing is death, but for the grace of God. Are you ready?
Are you so sure of your future that you don't have to "brace," but could just wait at rest when it's God's time for you to go?
Most likely, there are many who were on that airplane that may choose to see life differently as a result of that brush with death. I would bet that God has some big plans for their lives. I hope they figure it out! How I would love to interview the lot and inquire of their spiritual journies before and after that flight. Maybe I will. :)
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