“Are you ready?”
I nodded, hoping my wide opened eyes didn’t betray my fear. My guide motioned a thumbs up. The roar of the turbine fans was deafening as I leaned forward into the chamber. In a second, I was suspended in mid-air. I was flying!
I was participating in an indoor skydiving ride. Giant turbine fans blew upward in a closed chamber with hurricane-force wind speed. A crew member controlled the speed of the turbines, adjusting it to the weight of the participants. My guide held on to me as I took my first hesitant movements in this airborne environment. After he was confident that I was successfully assuming the correct position to remain suspended, he let go of me for a few seconds, never more than inches away. On my first ride, I was hovering at a height of about four feet but on the second ride, I was elevated to a height of nearly twenty feet, my guide in constant contact with me. It was exhilarating and frightening!
I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and hope to someday repeat it. However, I do not have the same desire to do an actual outdoor skydiving even though my guide informed me that this experience is equivalent. I am afraid of heights and I do not have as much confidence with a parachute as I do with an instructor holding on to me and another controlling the power turbine fans, assuring me that I would never be subject to a fatal fall. No, I am looking forward to a different, far more glorious flight.
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (NLT)
God has a promise to all who have confessed and repented of their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. We will all someday meet Him in the sky. Unlike my experience on the indoor skydiving ride, I will have absolutely no fear. My guide will be my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
What a wonderful promise! I was flying and someday, I will fly again!
Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Love and trust in the Lord; seek His will in your life.
The Bereans Blog 