We are only two days away from the 10th anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center in New York, known simply as 9/11. On that date, 2, 977 people died, beginning with the 87 people who were on board Flight 11 out of Boston, the first plane to hit the towers. One person who did not die that day was Steve Scheibner, the pilot originally scheduled to take that flight.
On September 10, 2011, the American Airlines computer showed one flight for the next day as unassigned—Flight 11 from Boston to Los Angeles. It listed only one pilot who was available to take that flight—Steve Scheibner. The procedure was that any available pilot could ask to take the flight, but there was only a 30 minute window of time, starting at 3:00 p.m. on September 10, when the request could be made. The most senior pilot would be given the flight. A telephone call would come from American Airlines to confirm, and once that happened, the pilot would not be changed. Steve Scheibner was penciled in to take that flight, but during the 30 minute window, Tom McGuinness called to ask if he could take it. Since he had seniority, the flight was given to Tom.
Tom McGuinness did not know that he would be giving his life for Steve Scheibner that day. When Christ gave his life for us, He knew, and He gave it willingly. Matthew 8:17 quotes Isaiah 53:5 when it says that He took our weaknesses and carried our diseases. This does not mean that we will not face illness, or that we will be healed from all of our illnesses here on earth, but it does mean that we will be healed of all our illnesses at the Second Coming of Christ. I Corinthians 15:26 tells us that death will be the last enemy to be eliminated. Revelation 21:4 tells us that when Christ returns, death and mourning and pain will no longer exist. Hallelujah! I’m looking forward to that day.
Because of Tom McGuinness, Steve Scheibner’s physical life was saved. Because of Christ, we can be saved for eternal life. You, however, have to make the choice to believe and accept the gift. (Acts 10:43, John 1:12, John 3:18, John 20:31)