Heat waves shimmered up from the sunbaked tarmac as Richard and Benjamin taxied their jet towards the runway. Richard, in his late sixties, had thousands of hours of flight time and was a seasoned aviator. Benjamin, a strong and intelligent young man, had relatively little experience. They had just completed their mission and were headed back to their home base in Detroit.
High flying airplanes come in all shapes and sizes, but one thing most have in common is their pressurization system. Hot, compressed air is bled from the engines, cooled, and then routed through ducts to provide air for the passengers and crew members to breathe. In the airplane they were in, there was no way to cool this hot air while the plane was moving slowly on the ground. Thinking he would keep the cockpit cool during their short taxi to the runway, Richard reached over and flipped the cabin-air switch, shutting off the hot air into the cabin. At altitudes below 10,000 feet you might not even notice whether or not the cabin was being pressurized. But at 34,000 feet, where they were planning to fly, there isn’t enough oxygen to breathe and you would slip into unconsciousness. In training, both Richard and Benjamin were taught never to touch that switch, and Richard fully intended to turn it back on before takeoff. But he forgot! The Bible says, “There is a way that [seems] right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:1212There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 14:12)). ATC cleared them for an immediate takeoff, and in their haste they launched into the sky with the cabin-air switch shut off.
The after-takeoff list called for a pressurization check. A gauge in the cockpit clearly showed that the cabin altitude was climbing too fast. Carelessly, they both looked at it but didn’t realize what it was telling them. Passing through 10,000 feet, the cabin altitude warning horn began whooping, alerting them that they were in danger. They silenced the horn! (Are you silencing God’s warnings? Do you even know what they sound like? God warns us in His Word that “the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” And “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)).
Leaving 17,000 feet, they performed the transition checklist, and once again a pressurization check was called for. For the second time, they both looked at the cabin altimeter, but their oxygen-starved brains were now incapable of making good decisions. Higher and higher they climbed until Richard finally tried to level off at 34,000 feet.
The air traffic controller noticed that they were not holding their altitude well and asked them if they needed assistance. Benjamin, whose job it was to use the radio, didn’t hear the call, for he had quietly slipped into unconsciousness. Mounted six inches behind his head was an oxygen mask full of life-giving air. But it was too late for Benjamin; his strong arms hung limply from drooping shoulders, completely powerless to reach for the mask.
To his left sat Richard, his right hand futilely fumbling with the autopilot. With his left hand Richard keyed the microphone and in a slow and drowsy voice informed ATC that he had everything under control. “I’m just having a small problem with the autopilot,” he stammered slowly. “I want to go directly to Detroit.” Do you think you have everything in your life under control? God tells us in His Word, “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12).
Richard was in big trouble and he didn’t even realize it. He had an unconscious copilot, an airplane that he could not control, and he thought that he could handle the situation! He had no idea that he was in a state of emergency. Help was offered but refused. How foolish he seems to us, but are you doing the same thing? Are you telling God how you are going to fix your own problems?
The controller again asked him if he needed assistance. A few minutes later he responded that he did not need any help. “I just have a small problem with the autopilot, and I want to go directly to Detroit.”
Mounted six inches behind Richard’s head was also an oxygen mask. Two or three breaths from the mask and he would have been able to think clearly. But he didn’t think he needed it. So, Richard continued trying to set the altitude hold on the autopilot. But his wise and intelligent mind could not force his well-trained and experienced finger to perform the simple task of hitting the right button. Do you trust in your own wisdom to see you through life? Does the thought of calling out to God for help seem like foolishness? “He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:66But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)).
Had Richard been successful in setting the altitude hold, he would have sat back, relaxed, and slipped into total unconsciousness. The airplane would have flown straight and level until it ran out of fuel and then they would have crashed. But that didn’t happen!
The controller realized that something was terribly wrong and instructed them to descend immediately to a lower altitude. Thankfully, Richard complied and began to descend. As they descended both men returned to their senses and they were able to continue the flight to a safe end.
The pilots had to descend to be safe. You, too, need to lower yourself. (James says, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.”) Will you respond to God’s call? He says, “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call . . . upon Him while He is near” (Isaiah 55:66Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: (Isaiah 55:6)). He also says that “whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:1313For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13)). Can you think of any greater promises?