Three Examples of God’s Grace (Part 2)

The look on their faces was telling. It didn’t feel like anything I was teaching at the church retreat was getting through, but then I heard the gentle voice of the Holy Spirit. They don’t think you’ve ever experienced any hardship. Tell them about the helicopter crash. This was not a part of my message, but obediently, I began to share about one of the scariest days of my life.

“Pull the red lever; pull the red lever!” the news helicopter pilot screamed. I feverishly scanned the chopper for the red lever, but couldn’t find it.

I was a television station intern. It was my first week at WFAA in Dallas and I was observing a news crew in action. The reporter, a photographer, the pilot and myself were on our way to Cleburne, Texas to cover a story. Because this was my first time in a helicopter, the pilot sensed my nervousness and joked with me to calm me down. As we crossed over a lake he said, “Do you know how to swim?” Looking at the tension increasing on my face, he chuckled. But his mood took a sharp turn when trouble struck.

I was in a panic. I couldn’t find the red lever he shouted about. I feverishly searched the control panel looking for anything red. It all happened so fast. After I failed in my co-pilot duties, the pilot jerked the red lever back for me. It lowered a fire screen between us and the engine, then the pilot shut the engine off. I understood  his angst. He was trying to save us. Because the compressor had gone out, continuing to run the helicopter could have resulted in a fire. If that had happened, instead of reporting on a headline, we would have been the headline.

I realized this was serious, and we were on the verge of crashing, as the situation forced us to auto rotate to the ground. Did we have enough altitude to float down unscathed? It seemed like forever as we made our way to solid ground, but then the helicopter landed with a thud.

We had survived, but never made it to the news story.

The following week, the same helicopter, pilot, a sports photographer and his wife were on their way back from a Baylor football game. I was at the station, ready to take in a highlights feed when the news chopper got caught up in some telephone lines and crashed. There were no survivors. I realized if the photographer’s wife had not traveled, I could have easily been aboard that helicopter again, and wouldn’t be writing about this today.

As I look back, I realize all this is an example of God’s grace and mercy.

I don’t know why he preserved my life that day on the way to Cleburne, nor do I know why I was prevented from covering the Baylor football game. All I know is I live today because of God’s grace.

But it’s not just these traumatic rescues that represent God’s grace. Every moment we wake up because of his grace.

There’s a worship song I love to sing: “It’s your breath in our lungs, so we pour out our praise to you only. Great are you Lord” In Job 33:4, it says, “The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”

Every breath we take is a result of God’s grace.

Isn’t that enough to raise your hands in the air and praise him for life? For his grace upon you?

Prayer: Thank you Father for preserving my life. Thank you for protecting me in the dramatic situations like helicopter crashes, but also in the every day trips to and from work, or daily responsibilities. I know my life and my breath is a gift. I pray I never take them for granted. Great are you Lord. AMEN