Journey Across the Sky » Hudson River

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Posts Tagged ‘Hudson River’

Master Craftsmanship

Monday, February 9th, 2009

Random Ramblings from the Resident Raptor

Insight from the Journey across the Sky

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)

A US Airways jet departing from La Guardia Airport on January 15 became a flight in distress just moments after takeoff when it struck a flock of geese causing both engines to fail. After the bird strike, the pilot of stricken Flight 1549, initially thought to attempt landing the disabled plane at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, but quickly realized he did not have sufficient height or momentum to make it. Instead, he decided to put the airliner down in the Hudson River.

After what witnesses describe as a “perfect” emergency landing on the water, the jet remained afloat as ferryboats and other watercraft in the vicinity converged on the plane, eventually pulling all 150 passengers and the five crew members to safety. While there were some minor injuries to those on board, some suffering from hypothermia, no one was seriously hurt.

“The raw piloting is commendable, but what’s truly extraordinary is the rapid and professional way the crew went about making these decisions. You’ve only got seconds in order to sort these things out — it’s not like you have time to go through denial,” said William Voss, the president of the Flight Safety Foundation and a former Federal Aviation Administration official. The total flight lasted less than 4 minutes from take off to splash landing.

The next day, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg honored not only the flight crew, but also the many rescuers on the water and in the city who responded to the emergency. “This is a story of heroes, something straight out of a movie script,” Bloomberg said. “But if it had been a movie, people probably wouldn’t have believed it. It was too good to be true.”

The emergency landing, with professional pilot Chester B. “Sully” Sullenberger III at the controls, has been dubbed the “miracle on the Hudson” by news sources. Fifty seven year old pilot Sullenberger spent his professional life becoming an expert in safety. He is a glider pilot, a military pilot, and an airline pilot and has been hailed a hero. It looks like there could hardly have been a better person at the controls.

In the actions of the pilot we see what is possible when a person is trained and disciplined in advance to face the unexpected hour. Lives were saved because a person was prepared.

When King Solomon was having Israel’s first temple built, he employed a craftsman named Hiram to create (or oversee the creation of) many of the beautiful objects and structures in the temple. He was gifted by God with skill, intelligence, and knowledge in working with bronze. Hiram’s ability to create such wonderful objects was only possible because of God-given talent and intelligence, coupled with the knowledge and skill Hiram had gained by practicing his craft. Solomon entrusted this very important work of building the temple into the capable hands of Hiram, who had proven himself to be an expert in his field.

¹³ King Solomon brought Hiram from Tyre. ¹⁴ He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze. He was full of wisdom, understanding, and skill to do any kind of work in bronze. So he came to King Solomon and did all his [bronze] work. 1 Kings 7:13-14 (AMP)

The talent and intelligence of the pilot of Flight 1549 was also God-given, while his skill and knowledge of what to do in an emergency were the result of practice and training. Because of his expert training and experience 155 souls were saved.

Do you see a man diligent and skillful in his business? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men. Proverbs 22:29 (AMP)

Pilot Chester B. Sullenberger III has been flying planes for US AIR since 1980 but on January 15th he became a national legend. Not because of all the flights he had successfully completed but because of the one that crashed landed on the Hudson. It was only after all those years of training were put to the test the we now remember Chester as a hero.

⁹ For we are fellow workmen (joint promoters, laborers together) with and for God; you are God’s garden and vineyard and field under cultivation, [you are] God’s building. ¹⁰ According to the grace (the special endowment for my task) of God bestowed on me, like a skillful architect and master builder I laid [the] foundation, and now another [man] is building upon it. But let each [man] be careful how he builds upon it, ¹¹ For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is [already] laid, which is Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). ¹² But if anyone builds upon the Foundation, whether it be with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, ¹³ The work of each [one] will become [plainly, openly] known (shown for what it is); for the day [of Christ] will disclose and declare it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test and critically appraise the character and worth of the work each person has done. 1 Corinthians 3:9-13 (AMP)

We are called to labor together with God building up His kingdom here on earth. Are we doing the best we can for the MASTER? Are we striving to hone our skills to master craftsman level? Are we studying and striving to be the best we can be? Are we laboring towards excellence for God? Are we bringing the best we have to the Lord? Are we going to crash and burn on the rocky shoreline or soar to the heights on eagle wings? When trials come are we going to be able to land safely? When tested will others see the calm assurance of a life spent in preparation before God?

We have been gifted with many talents and abilities but it is up to us whether we hone those talents into expert skill.

Do your best to present yourself to God as a tried-and-true worker who isn’t ashamed to teach the word of truth correctly.2 Timothy 2:15 (GW)

All those on board Flight 1549 have to be thankful that Chester Sullenburger III had taken time to learn his craft well. I pray that we too will be remembered for the labor we have done for the Kingdom of God. I pray that if and when we are tested we too will be heralded as heroes of the faith. Only when tested will our true worth be determined. Only when tried will our true abilities be revealed. I pray that the Lord will say of me one day well done thou good and faithful servant enter into the joy of the Lord.

“The key to life is to become skillful enough

to be able to do rewarding things.” — Jim Rohn

But those who are waiting for the Lord will have new strength; they will get wings like eagles: running, they will not be tired, and walking, they will have no weariness. _{Isaiah 40:31 (BBE)}

Along for the journey