None Lost!

Over the past two days a new world hero has emerged from the icy waters of the Hudson River, New York. I watched live on television on Thursday night as a crashed US Airways plane was struggling to remain afloat on the surface of the water. It's thought that the plane had run into a flock of geese shortly after take-off and both engines failed as a result.

Without any power from the engines, the pilot nevertheless managed to bring the plane down in one piece and do a text-book emergency landing on water. The emergency doors opened one by one and within minutes all the passengers and crew were seen standing on the slowly submerging wings of the aircraft or in life rafts. Ferry boats in the area came rushing to the aid of the stricken plane and its passengers. No-one who saw it happening will ever forget the emotion of realising that, instead of watching a horrendous disaster, we were witnessing a miracle take place before our very eyes.

When every one of his passengers and crew were safely off the plane the Captain personally walked the full length of the plane twice to satisfy himself that not one of the passengers who had committed their lives into his care remained on board. Every single person was saved – not one was lost. The Captain was undoubtedly an amazing hero.

As I listened to the news report of the Captain’s incredible feat of landing a powerless plane safely on the water, and then personally ensuring that no-one was lost, I could not avoid turning to this Scripture and thanking God from the bottom of my heart that Jesus is the Captain of my soul. He is the Captain of every single person who has committed their lives unto him. And just as he was careful to ensure that the lives of none of those who had been given into his care would be lost in that Gethsemane encounter with the Roman soldiers, he is equally concerned for you and me right now.

Yes, one day there will be a time to die a physical death. But what joy to know that in Christ, the Captain of my vessel, I have a Redeemer who did even more than walk the length of the plane to see that no-one would be lost. He gave his life that we may be saved and was then raised again from the dead by Father God. Hallelujah, what a Saviour! What a Captain we have on board!!

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, that all those lives were saved from the Hudson River and for the Captain of the plane who did such an outstanding job. But thank you even more that you, Lord Jesus, died that I might live and that as Captain of my life I know you are caring for me every step of the way home to my final destination, the security of life with you in eternity. In Jesus’ name, Amen.