How Does an Airplane Fly?
When I was living in Portsmouth, one of the church members asked if I would like to fly out and land on the USS Theodore Roosevelt, have dinner and then fly back. I thought that was a great idea. The excitement grew as I was fitted for a flight suit, briefed on flight procedures and learned all I could about aircraft carriers and Navy planes. I learned that the carrier heads into the wind so the carrier speed and the wind give the planes as much advantage as possible to take off from an aircraft carrier. That’s the best way to achieve sufficient lift and enable takeoff, even with the powerful carrier catapult, on the very short carrier runway.
A week before I was to fly out to the Roosevelt, planes flew into the Twin Towers in New York, the Pentagon, and a fourth hijacked jet was downed in Pennsylvania. This was a tragic day for our country. My flight to the Roosevelt was cancelled, and our country was in the middle of a war. I thought about that planned flight to the Roosevelt when I was reading about Joshua. God called Joshua to lead his people into the “winds” that awaited them in the Promised Land. Joshua required two things. He needed to “be strong and very courageous” (Joshua 1:7), and he needed challenges. He led thousands of Israelites against walled cities (6:1-5), defeats (7:3-5) and continual battles (Chapters 10 -11).
We see the theme often of the centrality of the Scriptures in the lives of the people of faith. In Joshua 1, this principle was stressed when leadership changed from Moses to Joshua. David spoke similar words to Solomon, who succeeded him as king. I Kings 2:3 says, “Observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go.”
Do you want to follow God’s ways? Look for the challenges. Fly boldly into the wind, and let your spirit soar.
Prayer – Father, life is often hard, filled with problems. I pray that my problems will lift me closer to you. Amen.
Joshua 1:7 – “Be strong and very courageous.”
Author: The Rev. Tommy Herndon
Photos: Public Domain
