We’re about to land on Christmas after an almost year-long journey. The ride has been quite bumpy for the most part, and when the captain called lockdown #6 – which was expected to last about a week – it got very, very turbulent, indeed. We had to buckle our seatbelts and stay put, no walking around the cabin and so on. It was cramped. It was uncomfortable. It was frustrating. Some passengers became very anxious, some even felt sick in the turbulence as the first week ran to two, and then from two to three … and on it went. The buffeting lasted much longer than the captain stated – I mean, no one has a crystal ball. For most of us it felt far too long … but, at the time, no one could see up ahead all that clearly. Navigation was extremely difficult with the usually reliable instruments even giving false readings at times.
It’s not the kind of flight any of us are inclined to want to take again. Not me, anyway.
But, finally we’re about to land on Christmas. We’ve commenced our approach … we’ve almost made it. A bit battered and bruised, and definitely the worse for wear, sure. But we’ve almost completed the last leg now. The kids did it really tough on the flight. It was painful to watch them so confined like that and separated from their friends. Our older folk really felt the isolation, too. It was very hard for them to be so confined, and most of the usual options – even the simplest of pleasures, like a coffee with friends – were suddenly unavailable. And no one knew for how long.
It was tough on mums and dads, and really tough on grandma and grandpa who had been waiting months to see the grandies.
The cabin crew were just amazing! They kept serving meals and drinks, and kept our heads up with their gracious patience and amazing generosity. They kept reassuring us, and humouring us, and sometimes just leaned on a headrest chatting to us for hours on end. Although, they are looking quite tired and a bit ragged around the edges now. Their work has been so much harder during this turbulence. I mean, how on earth did they stay on their feet and keep smiling in the midst of all that buffeting – and not a drink spilt, or a meal landing in someone’s lap?
What an amazing bunch of people – they worked so cooperatively, so in-sync. Nothing was too much trouble … they really did help us through. They certainly went far above and beyond the call of duty at great cost to themselves, and their families. I am so very thankful to them …
Simply outstanding people – every one of them!
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
The pilot has just lowered the wheels for landing! Home soon! We’ll get some rest, renew fellowship with ones we have missed, have some recovery down time, and think carefully and prepare wisely for flight 2022. We’ve learned a lot about ourselves, and each other, on flight 2021. We can ditch so much excess baggage after this flight as God has showed us stuff we no longer need to hang onto, and stuff we’ve needed to recognise about ourselves. We don’t need that stuff anymore. And so, we’ll take the lessons and adjustments with us on the next flight – and that’s the truth.
We’re coming in to land now, the flaps are down, the engines revving to keep even momentum, flight 2021 is about to be consigned to history. And the turbulence has greatly dissipated …
Psalms 107:29-31 (NIV)
“He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 They were glad when it grew calm, and He guided them to their desired haven.
31 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind.”
As we touch down on Christmas 2021, may you know the Lord’s refreshing and His marvellous peace; His calm and His shalom! May you give thanks for His unfailing love and wonderful deeds on Spirit Airways flight 2021
And may you know God with us – Immanuel …
Anyway, that’s just what I think.
Ps Milton