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An
Outreach Publication of the Church of Christ at
Creekwood |
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Safe Landing Jim O’Neill, 65, a pilot with 18 years of experience, was flying solo earlier this month in his four-seater Cessna from Glasgow, Scotland, in route to Colchester, England, when he suddenly realized that his flight instruments had become blurred. Initially, he thought that the bright sunlight had obscured his view, but his vision didn’t improve. Medical tests later revealed that he had suffered a stroke, caused by a blood clot that was pressing against his optic nerve, causing him to go blind in one eye and leaving limited vision in the other. Flying at 15,000 feet, O’Neill’s situation became an immediate emergency. O’Neill contacted flight traffic control and was put in contact with the North Yorkshire Royal Air Force (RAF) base. By then, O’Neill’s Cessna has descended to 4,500 feet, veering off course, and in serious trouble. RAF air traffic control operators made six attempts to talk him down to a runway at a nearby airport but failed each time. Even though it was the middle of the day and the skies were clear, the stricken pilot was unable to see two runways as he repeatedly flew over them. Flight controllers then directed him to RAF Linton-on-Ouse, a former RAF bomber base. Here there was a very large runway. After two more failed efforts to guide O’Neill by radio to the correct location, RAF air traffic control called for back-up. Royal Air Force pilot, Wing Commander Paul Gerrard, responded to the call. In his Tucano T1 jet trainer, Gerrard flew alongside the retired businessman and, aided by radar controllers, managed to guide O’Neill safely to ground.* We
can ALL relate to Jim O’Neill, because each of us
has been ”blinded” as We need GUIDANCE in order to obtain a safe landing! Jeremiah the prophet described our situation saying, “O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jeremiah 10:23). The book of Proverbs says it this way: "There is a way that seems right to every man, but in the end, it leads to DEATH!" (Proverbs 16:25). But
because of His great love for us, God sent Jesus to
our rescue...
(John 3:16). Jesus
came to our side and provided instruction for a
“safe landing.” In order Although
we have been blinded by sin, we do not have to
despair! A
divine Pilot has been sent to our rescue.
We need to trust Him!
He will lead us to a safe landing IF we follow
His instructions. Won’t YOU? -- David A. Sargent, Minister Church
of Christ at Creekwood * Information gleaned from “Blinded Pilot Guided to Safe Landing by RAF After Suffering Mid-Air Stroke” by Andrew Norfolk in The Times Online – www.timesonline.co.uk To Subscribe to "Living Water" send a blank e-mail to:
HTML version: subscribe-livingwater@lyris.dundee.net Follow this link to locate the church of Christ nearest you: www.churchzip.com Archived issues of "Living Water" can be accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org
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