Keeping on Flying – for Life

It was heat-warming. And the outcome not unexpected when a motorist posted on Facebook this week that they’d run out of fuel on the M1 Motorway near the Harwood bridge – and needed help. A photo of a roadside sign proved useful for prospective Good Samaritans to pinpoint the location of the distressed motorist. In no time, the situation had been resolved. And that’s just the way it should be.
Most people are only too glad to help others through tough situations and tough times. It’s an ethic that Jesus underlined when he made it clear that our responsibility to others follows closely on the heels of our duty to return the love of our heavenly father. But we do hear stories where shocking cases of neglect, mismanagement and lack of timely caring action fail to meet the needs of those affected by real tragedy. And this can shock and grieve us!
Such a case emerged in the media this week with the revelation that although 51 million dollars was raised through a concert spear-headed by comedian Celeste Barber in the wake of the tragic summer bushfires nearly 2 years ago, absolutely none of the 10 million dollars set aside specifically for injured volunteer firefighters and for the families of those who had died, had ever been allocated. And this – despite 4 volunteer firefighters dying, 860 being injured and 46 being hospitalised. The government’s weak response to this revelation was to blame the delay on administrative constraints and to promise action by the end of the year. Simply, not good enough!
The need has always been now! Action is overdue. The suffering has not gone away, and as a society we’re failing those most vulnerable at arguably, the most critical time of their lives!

Thank God for God! And thank God for Jesus – the manifestation of God’s care for his people.

In the life and ministry of God’s Son, we see a man reaching out to the disadvantaged folk around him. For Jesus, teaching people about the love of God was useless – unless it was reinforced by practical demonstrations of love in action. And that action needed to be timely and sincere and compassionate. And it was!
Father’s Day each year is an occasion when an organisation that spends every moment of every day responding with immediacy to the needs of the most vulnerable, deprived and isolated people in the world, highlights its need for ongoing funds for its work. “Fuel for Father’s Day” is the theme underlining the very real need for aviation fuel to keep Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) planes in the air – and flying to remote areas over hugely challenging terrain in order to minister the love of Christ to needy communities.
Like our distressed motorist who had run out of fuel and could no longer continue his journey, MAF needs an ongoing supply of fuel to operate its aircraft. It needs good, generous people to act lovingly and compassionately towards those who live in tough places and endure the most difficult of challenges, to step up and release the resources it needs to continue a vital ministry.  
But unlike the hopelessly bureaucratic approach of governments, this is as easy as visiting the MAF website at www.maf.org.au.  
Please! Will you help today?