Flying Into The Wind

https://odb.org/MY/2022/02/18/lift

I had seen a documentary on aircrafts and aircraft carriers and didn’t quite understand until this morning the concept of the aircraft flying into the wind to achieve lift even as the aircraft is catapulted into the air due to the short runaways. The British resolved this issue by using Harrier jump jets that take off vertically like a helicopter. But even the Harriers (introduced in 1969) are now nearly fully retired having been transitioned to the modern F-35Bs.

Actually the natural logic is that the aircraft should fly with the wind behind it but if you research how boats sail against the wind, you’ll realise that sailing boats can still travel against the wind at 40-45 degree angles. In fact that’s how modern sailing boats travel in all directions, whether with or against the wind. For the aircraft taking off from a carrier, the lift is presented when it is launched against the wind and I guess the logic is that as the wind blows against the aircraft, it is lifted up but as it is jet powered, the wind will not overpower it but instead gives it a lift. The lift is thus caused by going against the wind. If it had been reversed, the wind would have helped the aircraft with some speed which the aircraft doesn’t need since it is jet powered, but there will be no lift. The going against the wind or the challenge itself causes the lift.

The launching of the aircraft against the wind appears illogical and yet it is perfectly logical as we know that faith without works is useless. Life without challenges although peaceful amd serene is boring. How will we ever experience God if we are not challenged? How do we walk by faith if our faith is not tested? The eaglet will never fly if it doesn’t dare to take the first step of faith to launch itself off the cliff and trust on the abilities of its wings to “catch the wind”. The same logic applies to paragliding.

Joshua needs to be strengthened internally – be bold and courageous. Yet externally he needs to face the challenges ahead of him – the strong armies, the fortified cities and the descendants of Anak at the Promised Land. But if he didn’t take the step of faith to cross the Jordan River, he would have remained in the wilderness like Moses and the 600,000 Israelites who fled Egypt, who died there.

Every believer I believe faces this quagmire – remain and rot or move forward and risk certain death. Except that when we have God with us as in the case of Joshua (and Caleb and all those who were born during their 40-year sojourn in the wilderness), we will face our challenges and be victorious! The LORD our God exalted them to be strong and courageous because He the Great I Am will be with them wherever they go. As they face the fortified cities, the strong armies and giants, God will deliver their adversaries into their hands. In fact if we were to read on in the Book of Joshua, we will see that the news and reputation that God was with the Israelites had terrified the communities across the Jordan (see Joshua 2:8-9).

The message today is that we need the challenge to bring the lift from God as we respond to His call and step out in faith. We need to fly into the wind to get that lift. It may look illogical and unnatural but it is actually very logical and natural as without friction, there is no resistance, and without resistance there is no push and without the push there is no lift. Cross our Jordan and face our adversaries and we will conquer our Promised Land, our land that is flowing with milk and honey – with the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit and the grace of God!