It was a cold January day when Al Hansen taxied his single-engine Cessna toward the runway at the Eau Claire, Wisconsin airfield. Al was going to fly alone that day. It was not his first solo flight, but he had not had very many flights by himself. He was still considered a “student pilot.”
His plan for the flight was to fly to Rhinelander, Wisconsin and return, a round trip flight of about 250 miles.
“This looks like a great day for flying,” he thought as he waited for clearance from the control tower to take off. “A few clouds to the north, but they, don’t look too bad.”
Having received clearance, Al took off and climbed smoothly into the cold, still air. Turning to the northeast he climbed through 6000 feet. Reaching his flying altitude of 6600 feet, he leveled off. Then looking down, he saw that the “few clouds” had become a solid cloud cover underneath him. He could not see the ground. All he could see were clouds below and sky above. He was worried because he had never flown in conditions like this before, and he was not rated for instrument flight.
Al was scared, realizing the danger. He was alone in a plane, separated from the safety of being able to see the ground by a cloud layer, and did not know how to get through the layer. He made a right decision—he radioed for help.
Al recognized the difficulty he was in and called for help. There are people today who are in real danger because of sin, but they do not recognize their danger. Satan has “blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” 2 Corinthians 4:44In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Corinthians 4:4).
Having kept these people from seeing their danger, Satan will keep them from doing what Al did—call for help. Help for the sinner is very near. The Lord Jesus said, “He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24).
Do you recognize that you are a sinner and need a Saviour? You have to admit this before you can be saved. Al could have flown for a long time in the wrong direction if he had not recognized that he was lost. A sinner, too, must recognize that he is lost, away from God and then God in His love and mercy can save him. “The Son of man [the Lord Jesus Christ] is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:1010For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10).
Al’s radio call reached the air traffic control center at Minneapolis, Minnesota. Two controllers, Ron Carrick and Dick DeCramer, located Al’s plane on radar. Their job then was to come up with a plan to bring him down safely. They told Al to turn until he was headed back toward Eau Claire where breaks in the clouds were reported.
Meanwhile, a commercial pilot of a DC-9 taking off from Rhinelander volunteered to help guide Al to a break in the clouds. With the help of the controllers, the pilot was able to locate Al.
During the flight back toward Eau Claire, the engine of Al’s plane stopped twice. He was given instructions by the DC-9 pilot on how to start it. Just as a large opening appeared in the cloud cover, the engine quit again... this time he was out of gas! There was no way to start it. Al headed toward the ground, having no place to land, no fuel and no power.
Could it be that Al was “almost saved” but now would crash so close to the safety of an airport? Had he waited too long before turning back? Had the pilot and the controllers not been clear enough in their instructions?
One of the controllers said to the other, “He will be killed... that’s hilly country with snow on the ground, power lines and trees!”
Have you been told how to be saved but have not followed the simple instructions? Have you postponed a decision with, “not now,” or “I don’t need that,” or “I’ll wait until I’m older"? The Bible warns those who put off this most important decision: “Boast not thyself of to-morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” Proverbs 27:11Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. (Proverbs 27:1). None of us know if we will be here tomorrow. We who are saved know that the Lord Jesus is returning momentarily to take to heaven all who know Him as their Saviour. Then all opportunity to be saved will be gone forever.
Won’t you accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour right now? He loves you and wants you to accept His offer of salvation. He died on the cross for sinners. There He took the punishment for the sins of all who would believe in Him. His blood has washed away all their sins. He has done everything He can do to save you. All you have to do is accept Him as your Saviour.
As Al started down he was sure he would never be able to land the plane safely. The only noise was the rush of the air outside and the quick instructions on how to land a powerless plane, being given by the DC-9 pilot still circling above him.
“Nothing but hills, trees and snow,” thought Al as he tried to pick out a spot to land. He picked out, a road near Rib Lake, about halfway between Eau Claire and Rhinelander. On this deserted road he safely landed his plane. The DC-9 pilot radioed to the Minneapolis controllers that he was safely down, out of the plane and walking!
Yes, Al had guided his plane to a safe landing, using the instructions that were radioed to him. The only way that you can be saved is to follow God’s instructions. They are found in His Word, the Bible: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:1212Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12).
Al Hansen was happy and thankful to be safely on the ground again. He wrote a letter to the pilot and the controllers thanking them for their help. He knew that without them he would have been killed.
We who know the Lord Jesus as our Saviour should thank Him daily for His salvation. Without His work on the cross there is no way that we could have been saved.
ML-10/14/1984