I don't like heights. After stepladder high I get nervous. But in my youth I became an airport "bum". I hung around a little private airport. My friends liked to parachute and urged me to try it. I decided I would, and a date was set.
First, I was to see my 'chute packed by a professional in the basement of his home. Not as rough and ready as it sounds. He had a nice finished basement and it was equipped with a series of long smooth tables, each over the length of a parachute panel and its shroud lines. He laid out my 'chute which had recently been jumped. He carefully picked off leaves and sticks from the recent jump and laid it out on a long, smooth table. Then he blew his breath under each panel at a time creating a bubble that saved walking the length of the table as it traveled along and laid that section in place.
On the walls were pictures of him and some 'chutes he had used. One was triangular. To be certified he had to jump a chute that he had packed. His kind, calm manner soon put me at ease. I became convinced that if anything went wrong, it would not be on his part.
The last step was to place release pins in the cover, attached to the all-important rip cord, or release. Soon I was standing on the step of a light plane. The pilot nodded and I released my hold on a wing strut. I counted to three and pulled the rip cord. After a short delay there was a tug as the 'chute opened and I began my slow descent.
A preacher I knew asked how a chicken like me could make such a jump. The answer was easy. I had watched the preparation and come to know the packer.
As you know, I am soon to die. And friends ask, "Aren't you afraid?" I marvel at this common question. God has assured me of salvation in such a foolproof way that not even I can mess it up. Jesus has told us that he is going to prepare mansions for us so that we can be with Him forever. My question is, why would anyone not want to take Him up on this offer? Don't we trust Him?
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