Search and rescue

The year - 1979; the place - RAF Valley on Anglesey; the occasion - the bi-annual airshow. As a member of the aviation press, and together with six other colleagues, I was given a flight aboard a yellow-painted Wessex helicopter of the RAF Air Sea Rescue. We’d had the briefest of instructions as to what we should do if, in an emergency, we came down in the sea. Then we were given help to fasten our harnesses. I had a prime position being situated adjacent to the large open doorway. We flew around for about 10 minutes but then there was a minor malfunction with the intercom so that the crewman in the main cabin with us could not communicate with the flight deck up above. Because of this, we had to land prematurely.

When I came to undo my harness, I discovered that it was not securely buckled. Perhaps it is just as well that we didn’t linger around, as I had been turned into the open doorway so as to take photographs and I don’t believe the harness would have held me if put under any strain.

Two years later, the International Air Tattoo at Greenham Common chose a theme that included Air Sea Rescue. Amongst the many ground attractions was a presentation by a local Christian group who took the opportunity to present Jesus as the great rescuer.

Now that may sound a little twee but not from God’s perspective. He sees men and women as being adrift, lost and in danger of ultimately perishing. The coming of Jesus is actually God on a rescue mission. As with a yellow helicopter hovering over a floundering person in the water, Jesus is at hand. Think of that sense of security and comfort a bedraggled person must feel once hoisted into a rescue helicopter. Jesus too is both willing and able to take us into himself and expertly attend to our true needs. He said that his mission was to, ‘Seek and to save what was lost’.

In Jesus, the doorway remains open so others can come in. However, unlike my own less-than-secure helicopter flight, Jesus harnesses those in Him with faithfulness, kindness and love, even when that harness is put under strain.