Dale Ridge church of Christ

            What an amazing story, and what a wonderful outcome.  Flight 1549, destined for North Carolina, had just lifted off the La Gaurdia Airport runway this past Thursday (Jan. 15, 2009) when a flock of Canadian geese flew in the path of the plane and took out both of the engines.  Thanks to pilot Chesley Sullenberger’s quick thinking and expertise flying ability, the plane landed safely in the Hudson River.  All 146 passengers and the 5 crew members survived.  This pilot has been hailed as a hero, and rightly so.  He certainly is deserving of any and every award he might receive. 

But there are also numerous other individuals who are deserving of credit who as well aided in saving the lives of these passengers.  The four crew members onboard the US Airways Airbus A320 did an outstanding job as they quickly responded in getting the passengers in position for the crash landing.  There must have been just a great amount of teamwork on board that flight between the attendant and the pilots.  Reports are that the plane was only in the air for about six minutes before it was put down in the Hudson.  These attendants no doubt helped the passengers to remain calm and to move orderly into position whereby they could be quickly rescued.

Credit should also go to the 146 passengers for their cooperation in getting to safety.  It was reported that there was a great amount of support and encouragement that went around among these passengers.  There must have been some incredibly intense moments when words of comfort and reassurance would have been immensely important to survive such an ordeal.  But what about the credit that can also be given to the crews on the ferries and those on the other boats in the area that put themselves in great danger to save the passengers from the frigid waters of the Hudson? 

Wonderful things happen when individuals put aside their own immediate interest and work together.  All these individuals saw the great danger of those standing on the wings of the plane (just a few years ago, a similar incident occurred in similar freezing temperatures, and those involved met a tragic end) and immediately got to the job at hand.

Like those on this Airbus, there are countless numbers of people all around us who are in danger and are in need of our cooperation.  One is reminded of those words of unity and cooperation that Jesus prayed for as he prepared to go to Calvary’s cross (John 17:20-21).  Jesus here says that working together results in helping the world believe that God has sent His Son into the world.  May we see all those around us in need of salvation, and like those who came together in the Flight 1549 incident, may we work together in unity for the sake of those whom we might help to be saved.

“For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost” – Lk. 19:10

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Filed under: Devotional, Michael Carter on January 17th, 2009