Can You Hear Me Now?

Several years ago, I was out at Paine Field, in Everett, getting checked out in their Cessna 172. The chief pilot at Regal Air, was giving me the once over to make sure that I knew the airplane, and that Iwas a safe pilot before they would clear me to rent any of their airplanes. I had a couple of hundred hours in a Cessna just like this one, so I was fairly confident as I did the pre-flight check, and we climbed into the airplane and taxied to runway 16L for takeoff.

I knew what I was doing.

I did not know the older gentleman who was giving me my flight test, but he looked like he was in his late seventies and seemed soft spoken and kind. I thought this test was going to be a breeze.

He asked me a few questions about the plane and I was able to answer without any problem. The 172 is fairly easy to fly and I was settling in quite nicely as we headed east out towards Snohomish. The instructor was pointing out the terrain and showed me where all the local landing strips were-  like the grass strip that used to be at Martha’s Lake, and Harvey Field at Snohomish, and even a few private grass strips out in the valley- in case of an emergency.

He chatted on and on like a chamber of commerce tour guide. But he spoke so softly that I had to lean over to hear what he was saying, especially his instructions… even had to ask him to repeat himself.

And that started to irritate me.

So, I stopped leaning over to hear his comments or instructions. I thought, “You know what? I am paying for this flight test and if he can’t speak up over the noise of the engine, that’s his problem.” I started enjoying the flying and the scenery and then, all of a sudden, my daydream was shattered by the realization that I was missing the wonderful sound of the engine.

I had no power.

This kind, conversational, elderly instructor had reached over and pulled the throttle. With a wicked smile breaking out of the corner of his mouth he said, “Now what are you going to do?”

He had my immediate attention.

In that airplane, the first thing you do when you lose the engine, is turn the fuel boost pump on. Next, you change fuel tanks and, while you are trying to figure out what went wrong inside the cockpit, you are simultaneously looking for an appropriate field to land, assuming you are unable to get the plane started.

I lined up over one field, about 200 feet off the ground only to find out that power lines blocked a decent approach. I slid over to the pasture next to the field (now about 150 feet off the ground) only to be staring at about 50 rather surprised looking cows. Finally, at about 100 feet off the deck, the instructor reached over and gave me power back and we climbed back up to 1500ft.

Now I was listening to every word he said.

Even when he spoke quietly, I would lean over, practically in his face, to hear what he was saying.

He had my attention.

The writer of the book of Hebrews writes concerning Jesus, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world.” (Hebrews 1:1–2 ESV)

When Jesus was born the people of Israel were in a chaotic mess. The Romans were occupying their land with soldiers everywhere making the lives of the people miserable. Everyone was in abject poverty, except for the priests and the ruling class. Roman taxation was crippling and some of their own people were tax collectors in collusion with the Romans, extorting the citizens. Roman justice was not justice for all and executions by crucifixion were the order of the day, even for minor offenses. At one point the Roman governor  had worshippers executed at the temple in Jerusalem even as they were offering sacrifices to God. The high priests were puppets of Rome. Disease was rampant and life expectancy was only 30-35 years. But then, intersecting the chaos and extreme difficulties, God spoke a word of hope, of comfort, of deliverance to the world by sending his son, Jesus… whose birth we just celebrated this past Christmas season.

Jesus is God speaking. Jesus is God revealing himself, inviting us into His Kingdom today… as the Savior of the world.

Can you hear him? Are you willing to open your spiritual ears, to pay attention to him? Are you willing to repent for ignoring him, even rejecting his love and forgiveness… and start listening to his voice for your life?

Today, God is speaking to you, calling you to come back home… through faith in Jesus Christ. Are you willing to hear his voice, to listen and respond?