QUITE recently an airman left Hendon, in Middlesex, to fly to Paris. On his journey he was often enveloped in either fog or cloud. A heavy wind opposed his flight. These difficulties caused him to lose his bearings. He drifted a good deal out of his course, and to add to his anxieties his petrol was nearly exhausted. It seemed to him that he had taken his last flight. In his own words he summed up the situation, “It is finished now. It is all over.”
Unless he sighted land at once, there was nothing for him but to fall, machine and all, into the sea, and most probably perish.
Whilst in this terrible predicament his eager eyes caught sight of a dark patch, and to his relief he discovered it was the coast of France.
In referring to this joyful discovery afterward he used the words: “I would rather have had that sight just then than seen a million in gold laid at my feet.”
No attempt has been made to give an exact account of the flight in every detail, but care has been taken that in the above particulars no alteration of any material fact has been made.
The incident is so striking, and is so full of instruction, that surely no apology is needed for introducing it as an illustration.
Men are being carried along in the flight of time. In a “sort of way” men pretend that they desire to reach a certain shore. They are bound to meet with many clouds and much fog. It is often difficult to see the way. It is a common complaint with men that many unexpected things occur to disarrange their plans. Schemes are worked out. Projects are devised. Contrivances are prepared. But unexpected hindrances arise, and much ends in failure.
There is more even than this, for whilst all the preparations and projects are maturing the one most important necessity is being exhausted. Life—like the airman’s petrol—is becoming exhausted, and no certain land is in sight.
In the case before us the airman retained his senses, and he realized his danger, and was thankful beyond words for his escape. When he saw the land he did his utmost to reach it, and on landing he remarked, “Half an hour’s delay, and I had been drowned.”
Think of this! Saved by half an hour! It might even have been by minutes.
In higher matters men seem often to lose their senses, and they drift hopelessly about until they fall into the woeful abyss, and perish forever.
When the airman saw the place of safety it was more to him than the possession of untold gold! Had he fallen into the water, no gold could have saved him. His life was at stake, and the shore meant everything to him at that moment.
Is there no lesson for you and me in this man’s experience?
Do we know whither we are hastening as we are carried along on the flight of Time?
There is a flying machine which is absolutely safe. It is thus described: “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles.” (Isa. 40:31.) “The way of an eagle in the air” is wonderful (Prov. 30:19); but the way the Lord leadeth His people is more wonderful still. A flying machine may wear out or become damaged, but the Lord reneweth the strength of His people, “like the eagle’s” (Psa. 103:5), and “the eternal God is their refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deut. 33:27), therefore they shall never utterly fail.
Those who wait upon the Lord may sometimes find themselves amidst a cloud of difficulties, and they may often seem befogged, but nevertheless their ears shall hear a Word behind them saying, “This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” (Isa. 30:21.)
The airman had to watch his compass, and look to his steering, but even then the winds carried him out of his course, for the fog confused him; but the believer is bidden to look “unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of faith,” and to “run with patience the race set before us.” (Heb. 12:1-2.)
The airman hoped to get to land when he started his voyage; but believers KNOW they shall, for the promise is sure and steadfast, and they are connected with Him, their Forerunner, who has entered into heaven, whither He has prepared a place for them (see Heb. 6:17-21, John 14:1-14), and He will draw them safely to it.
When the airman was in danger he knew that no golden sovereigns could help him; and when men come to realize that their soul is in imminent danger of destruction they learn that no money can buy salvation. They prove the truth of the Lord’s words: “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:36, 37.)
When a man is in earnest after salvation, when he wants to be certain that he will reach the heavenly shore, then the least sight of the Lord Jesus as the Saviour able and willing to save him is worth more to him than “a million of gold laid at his feet.”
Reader! Are you resting alone on the Lord Jesus for salvation? Consider the question. Examine yourself and where your hopes are, and never rest until you can say in reality and truth, by the witnessing of the Holy Spirit, “He loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20), and He has prepared a place for me that I may be with Him forever. (See John 14:3.)
P. I. B.