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Making a Stand
Probably one of the most
terrible images of an airplane hijacking, prior to Sept 11th, 2001
occurred in 1996. You may recall seeing an airliner crash into the sea just
short of landing. Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961 was hijacked on November 23,
1996 en route from Addis Ababa to Nairobi. Three Ethiopians seeking political
asylum pretended to have a bomb and ordered the pilot to fly the plane to
Australia.
Neither the pilot nor the
ground controllers could convince the hijackers that the plane did not carry
enough fuel for a trip of that length. They would need to land and refuel but
the hijackers thought this was a ruse and made the pilot fly on. The pilot
hugged the African coastline in hopes that the terrorists would realize their
error and allow him to land the plane when it faltered. The hijackers did not
relent and even in the final seconds before the crash the pilot and one
hijacker fought in the cockpit. The plane ran out of fuel and crashed into
the Indian Ocean while just moments from landing. Sadly, 123 of the 175
passengers and crew members perished in the crash.
While this all was going on in
the cockpit, there was an equally interesting part of the story unfolding in
the passenger compartment. The passengers were aware that something was
wrong. It was then that Andrew Meekens stood to his feet and got the
attention of the other passengers. Now Meekens was just an average man and an
elder in his church in Ethiopia. He was not a noted speaker or an evangelist
but just a quiet and reserved man on his way to a Bible conference. For about
the next 20 minutes during the plane’s descent from altitude, he shared, in
his own way, how he had come to embrace Jesus Christ in faith and how others
on that plane could do so too.
Meekens message turned into a
small church service with about 20 attendees. As one can imagine there were
tears, hugs, and confession. A short time later, the plane crashed into the
ocean and 123 of the passengers were killed; including Meekens. A flight
attendant and others who survived reported the story of Meekens’ final act of
service to God and to man...
We face a life of full of
uncertainties. We have no guarantees as to what tomorrow may bring but we
have a Savior who is certain and sure in an uncertain time. He is the Savior
of all who call upon His name whether they are sitting in a church pew,
sitting in a race car seat at the starting line, or sitting in a commandeered
airplane hurtling to an unknown fate.
PS 78:35
They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their
Redeemer.
ISA 26:4
Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.
LK 6:47-49
“I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts
them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and
laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house
but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my
words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on
the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it
collapsed and its destruction was complete."
Richard Lewis
Pathway Christian Church
Riverside, CA
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