Intersections: Where Faith Meets Life – by Bob Weathers

Passengers described it as an eerie silence. Only moments into the climb of Flight 1549 out of LaGuardia Airport on Jan. 15, a flock of birds pummeled the aircraft. Everyone noticed a distinct burning smell, and the engines went out. Then, the hush before the crash.

Bob Weathers

Immediately after the impact, the co-pilot relinquished control of the aircraft to the captain with, “Your airplane.” And Capt. Chesley Sullenberger took over. He notified air traffic controllers that he could not return to LaGuardia. Nor could he make it to an alternate airport. Instead, he said, “We’re gonna be in the Hudson.” Then, with proficiency gained by experience, he maneuvered the Airbus to a site most accessible to rescuers, and landed with the tail just edging the water. The landing was so smooth, at first most passengers and the flight attendants did not even realize they were in the river. It felt as if they had touched down on the tarmac.

Everyone survived. And Capt. Sullenberger found an unrequested place in the history books as the only captain of an airliner to achieve a successful “ditch.” Not surprisingly, before the day was dark, he was being heralded a hero.

And he also left us with a picturesque reminder of one of life’s greatest truths: It always matters who the pilot is. And it never matters more than in a crisis.

I would like to think that I could handle life. But the truth is, my direction of my own life is something like being second chair of a plane on autopilot. As long as everything operates according to plan, I can still function under the illusion that I am sort of in control. But in that split instant when life shifts, the unexpected hampers my plans, the crisis shakes my world, I am reminded that I am just cruising at God’s good pleasure and how desperately glad I am that he is with me.

Maybe tomorrow you still don’t have a job. You’ll wake up to kids still in rebellion, and the bank account is still receding, and the illness is still looming. If so, wake up and turn to your Pilot and say, with surrender, “Your life. Not mine.”

Because, yes, it matters who the Pilot is.