The Plane Is Full
This
past week, traveling back from Nicaragua, I almost got stuck in the Miami
airport for a night. I was traveling
with a standby ticket, which is normally not a problem, but I didn’t realize
that I was flying home on Columbus Day and just after a carnival festival in
the Caribbean. The result was a
very busy Miami airport and very full flights.
Twice my heart sunk as I heard the announcement, “The plane is
full. All standby passengers will be
moved to the next flight.”
First
I was told there was no room on my scheduled 7:05 pm flight to LaGuardia. Then I got bumped off the 8:35 flight. My only hope of getting back to New York City
that evening was a 9:30 flight to JKF.
So I sat by that final gate hoping and praying. Each time I saw another confirmed passenger
come running to the gate to board the plane, my heart sunk a little lower as I
thought, “There goes another seat.” When
a few other standby passengers who were ahead of me were called, I almost began
to despair. In my mind I was trying to
think through what I would do for the night if I didn’t get a seat on the plane.
Well, you can only imagine how happy I
was when I heard, “Mr. Harris” come through the speaker system and the woman at
the gate handed me a boarding pass! I
was going home!
Unfortunately,
in so many different situations in our lives, space can be limited. We can’t on the plane. The restaurant can’t
take any more reservations. The show is
sold out. The class is full. The jobs have all been taken. And, so it goes. We hope to get in or get on,
but there is no more space. So often, we
are left, as it were, sitting at the gate, disappointed and wondering what to
do next.
I’m
thankful, however, that such is not the case with the Kingdom of God. When it
comes to participating in God’s Kingdom, one will never hear, “I’m sorry, but
there is no more room.” The Bible tells
us there is always room for another. We
might say, the plane is never full.
The
Bible says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
(Romans 10:13 – NIV) and “The Lord…is
patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 – NIV) God never turns anyone away who comes to him.
He never says, “There is no more room.”
Instead, he is constantly sending out the invitation, “Come! Whoever
is thirsty, let him come; and whoever
wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.” (Revelation 22:17 – NIV) We could say, there is always space for
another “everyone” or another “whoever.”
I
hope you get your seat on the plane, your dinner reservation, or the ticket to
the show. But, more than that, my prayer
is that you will find your place in the Kingdom of God. Remember, there is
always room for one more.
Have
a great day!
Pastor
Tim Harris
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