Aviation

There is a story told, and is said to be true, from the early days of aviation.  In those pioneer days planes flew from airfield to airfield to refuel and they could only carry a limited amount of aviation fuel.  One pilot was making a flight around the world and had landed at an airfield for more fuel.  He then set off and after two hours heard some strange noises inside the plane.  As he listened he realised, to his horror, that somehow a rat had got onto the plane at the last stop and was gnawing at the inside of the aircraft.  

He knew this was a very dangerous situation because if the rat gnawed through some vital cable or control on the plane then the likelihood of crashing was very high.  He was in serious trouble and was two hours away from his last stop and had nearly two hours to go to reach the next destination.  At first the pilot didn’t know what to do and felt deeply concerned and anxious. Then he remembered that a rat was a rodent and was not made for heights.  Rats live on the ground and even under the ground and not thousands of feet in the air.  The pilot started to take his plane on a climb upwards.  He reached a thousand feet, then ten thousand and eventually at twenty thousand feet the gnawing stopped.

The pilot felt great relief that the rat’s activities had ceased and he assumed the rat was dead, being unable to survive at such a height.  Just under two hours later he reached his next stopping point and after landing safely the dead rat was found.  All was well and he was able to continue on his trip with no worry or anxiety.

In many ways we all face such awful rodents every day.  Not literally rats, though that too can be a problem, but the anxieties, frustrations, concerns and worries of life.  Many have to do with our financial situation and can be the result of rash spending, failure to exercise financial discipline or simply the rising cost of living where income is not keeping up.  It can be to do with our health when unexplained pain or growths come into our bodies and  we anxiously go to the doctor or hospital and seek advice, tests and then await the results often with deepening concern.  We can be troubled about our family, children or parents, and even deeper issues such as self-worth, eternal accountability, the fear of mortality and the meaning of life.  

Whatever the anxiety, worry or concern we can go upwards and know that it can be overcome.  We can rise up in prayer and seek the God of comfort and consolation.  We can breathe the atmosphere of prayer and when worries ascend to the Lord in prayer we will find His peace filling our lives, calmness coming to our minds and heart.  The Apostle Paul wrote in this way, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7).  God bless you with His peace, the result of prayer.

DAILY MESSAGES WITH MEANING (08/10/24)

Written by PAUL YOUNG 

All photos courtesy of Unsplash