IN these days of fast airline service all over the world, often the longest waits are right at the airport. Recently, I had a long wait when I went to the airport to meet someone coming in on a flight.
The plane was due to arrive at a little past 8:00 p.m. I arrived with plenty of time to walk to the gate before it was to land. At the gate I found out that there would be a one-hour delay.
I was disappointed and a little unhappy about such a long wait. But then I became interested in the reason for the delay. It was not a problem with the plane coming in, because they said it was already on the ground waiting to come in to the gate. The problem was with the plane still sitting at the gate that wasn’t leaving on time. And so the “parking space” was full. It should have left at 8:00 p.m., but it had to wait for some of the flight crew who were late. The announcement over the loud speaker said that the plane would now leave at 9:00 p.m.
This made me think of God’s patient love in waiting for lost sinners, and the set time when He will wait no longer. “The Lord is not slack [late] concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering [patient] to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:99The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9). “Because He [God] hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge [punish] the world in righteousness [justly].” Acts 17:3131Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. (Acts 17:31).
The gate attendant had to explain to many passengers why the plane was late in leaving and reported that it definitely would leave at 9:00.
After a short while the flight crew arrived and got on the plane. Good, I thought, now it can leave and my plane can come in. But no, it did not leave. It remained at the gate until 9:00 p.m. The gate attendant’s promise that it would leave at 9:00 was kept, so that none of the passengers would be disappointed.
This reminds us that what God tells us in the Bible can be fully trusted. He cannot and will not go back on His promises! Anyone who puts his trust in Jesus will not be left behind for punishment. “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish.” John 10:27,2827My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:27‑28).
At exactly 9:00 p.m. the walkway to the plane was removed and the door was closed and locked. Just then a passenger came running up to the gate and pleaded to be allowed to get on the plane. The gate attendant spoke by phone to the pilot, but the pilot said, “No.” The flight could not be delayed any longer to allow the man to get on. The plane pulled away from the gate, and the man turned away disappointed. He had waited just a little bit too long.
The pilot could not be blamed for not letting the man get on; the pilot was being very fair and reasonable. And right now there are people who are taking advantage of God’s patience by waiting a little longer to come to the Saviour. 2 Corinthians 6:22(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2) warns us that “now is the accepted [right] time... now is the day of salvation.” Do not wait even a little bit longer! The Lord Jesus is coming soon! He loves you and wants you to trust Him for your soul’s salvation. A missed plane means perhaps only a few extra hours of waiting for another one, but to miss God’s offer of salvation means you will suffer forever in the lake of fire.
ML-07/07/1991