The Lost Pilot

"For the Son of Man [Jesus Christ] came to seek and to save what was lost." - Luke 19:10 (NIV).

In his early days as a pilot, Australia's Outback Patrol pilot and bush padre, Les Nixon, was flying an old 1933 De Havilland Dragon bi-plane from Bourke to Longreach in the outback of far western Queensland. The twin engines were purring happily when suddenly a frantic call came over the radio from a lost pilot!

"Mayday ... Mayday ... Any Station ... Any Station ... Request urgent assistance," came his first call. After half an hour of fruitless calling, he began to panic.

Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! He had become disoriented on his first cross-country solo exercise. Lost and low on fuel, he needed urgent help.

He was a hundred miles from Les so there was little he could do but pray for him, and hope someone was close enough to help.

"I'm almost out of fuel—someone help me." Any other pilots listening could do little but offer suggestions and wish him the best.

Miraculously, through the static of the radio—out of the blue, came a quiet, stoic voice of a helper from above. A mysterious presence from nowhere assessed the situation, found an answer, and directed the frantic pilot what to do. "Yes, son, I have you in sight," droned the pilot of an old commercial airline who happened to be flying overhead, and had heard his call for help.

"Now, listen ... simply do what I say. Turn to your right-north-yes, that's it. You're doing just fine. Line up on that paddock (field) over the fence and you'll find you can easily land on the open field, stay with your plane, and I'll get someone there to get you."

The older, experienced pilot had been watching from above—even as the frantic young pilot had been unable to work it out for himself—followed him for a few minutes, and found the answer to his problem. Then he quietly directed the inexperienced pilot through each maneuver until he placed him safely on an outback paddock (field).

One can only imagine the terror this young pilot must have experienced and then the incredible relief when the miraculous rescue "from above" guided him to safety.

One of life's greatest tragedies is that so many people are lost and they don't even know it ... some don't even want to know it. That is, they are lost spiritually and heading towards a lost eternity without God and without hope.

And that's why Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth 2000 years ago. He came to die on the cross to pay the penalty for all our sins, to find us, to give us the gift of forgiveness, and to rescue us from a lost eternity in hell. All we need to do is to admit that because of our sin we are lost, and come to Christ for his forgiveness. He's waiting from above to rescue us.