"Packed Flight?"

It’s Monday, 2:10 pm and we’ve just taken off from the Charlotte/ Douglass International airport. Our flight was delayed for about 90 minutes. As we were sitting at the end of the airport, just about to begin the forward throttle down the runway, I looked out to see the airplane which took off just ahead of us. It was a cloudy day, so in an instant as that plane lifted from the runway, it was snuffed out of sight into the clouds.

I sat buckled in my seat, about to take off, thinking…”Isn’t that a picture of life!” As that thought went through my head, I wondered if the plane was a “packed flight” and I wondered about its’ destination.

I looked around the plane I sat in…the seat beside me was empty. The seat to my right and back one isle…3 seats empty. One seat in front of me, empty! I couldn’t believe all the empty seats around me.

My plane took off shortly following. As we ascended, a question passed through my thoughts; “When my life is snuffed out, I wondering how many people I’ll be taking with me?” I wonder if my flight will be a “booked flight” or if there will be empty seats all around me. Those empty seats representing missed opportunities of sharing the gospel. A sense of sadness pricked my heart for a moment.

As we were racing down the runway, with the clouds somewhat blanketing the city of Charlotte, visibility was fairly poor. I could faintly see part of the skyline. As our plane rose into the sky, visibility worsened. However in moments we were above the clouds. There was a bright sunshine accompanying the gigantic fluffy white clouds and crisp blue sky. Wow! What a view…beauty only God could have created.

Sometimes life can present as a dreary, raining day with poor visibility. But upon the wings of Christ we can rise above that and the view is breath-taking.

Life is short like the ascent of that plane into the clouds. One minute it’s there and in a blink it’s gone! What are you doing to ensure others board the plane for “take off”? Just who will you take to heaven to enjoy that view of eternity?

Oh God…my heart overflows with thanksgiving for the ministry of ekissa you’ve birthed and called me to. I feel so inadequate and unworthy to have this “front row seat” to experience what you’re doing in the lives of the people in Uganda. I pray you will take my feeble hands and feet, multiply my efforts, working through me and in spite of me, to bring your people to an understanding and acceptance of who you are…Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Amen!