I am glad to say that I have never had a reason to use a parachute. I dabbled with the idea of skydiving once. In the end, my brain rejected the idea of jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. But I am glad to know that if I ever needed a parachute, such a thing was invented and has been shown to work.
If you have ever dropped a plastic army man with a parachute attached, performed a high school egg drop experiment, or ridden Disney’s Parachute Drop Ride, you owe a debt of gratitude to André-Jacques Garnerin, the Frenchman credited with being the first to parachute without a rigid frame on 10/22/1797. Over 200 years ago, Garnerin ascended to 3,200 feet in a hot air balloon before cutting a cord that sent him toward the earth in a basket with an umbrella shaped parachute. He landed safely, though with a few bumps, and the idea that would lead to modern parachutes was born.
Would it surprise you though, if people started skydiving without parachutes? Of course, it happens by accident on occasion. People think they have the right equipment or their equipment doesn’t work. But rarely does anyone jump without a parachute for the sport of it. Why then, do millions jump into sin without stopping to think about hitting the bottom without a parachute?
Too many people forget the inevitable landing when it comes to their spiritual lives. While we are all guilty of sin, God has given us a “perfect parachute” in Jesus Christ. Jesus said that He would “lose none” that God had given Him, “but raise them up at the last day.” Isn’t that amazing? Our parachute not only catches us and holds us up, but will even lift us up to be with God!
Are you toying with danger? Did you jump into sin only to realize you aren’t wearing a parachute? God gives us “the way of escape” (1 Corinthians 10:13) if only we will latch on to Jesus and follow His commands. His children are promised a safe landing. Why not become one today?
http://www.google.com/doodles/216th-anniversary-of-the-first-parachute-jump
