Ron Hutchcraft Ministries - Get-There-Itis - #2463

I was on the way to the airport to catch a plane for some outreach meetings in Northern Ireland and the newscast I heard on the way included this story of a seven year old girl who was trying to make aviation history by being the youngest person ever to fly across the country. Her name was Jessica. Now, I thought I'd heard wrong. A seven year old pilot? But they had a sound bite of her expressing her excitement about this historic flight. Well, I didn't hear much American news when I was in Northern Ireland but when I returned a few days later I heard another news cast. They were talking about little Jessica's death in a plane crash that also killed her father and flight instructor. And the debate was raging over whether such a child should be allowed to be a pilot.

When I later read about the crash it reminded me of a condition I learned about from a flight safety trainer, he called it "get-there-itis." He said it has killed many private pilots. Newsweek said Jessica's plane was taking off from Cheyenne Airport in a driving rain and according to Newsweek they were on such a hurry to keep on schedule for the press that they tried to take off without removing the wheel shocks that keep the planes tires from rolling! There was a report of that deadly condition called windsheer. One commercial pilot even decided to delay his take-off, but not Jessica's Dad and instructor. They tried to take-off and a minute later they crashed to their deaths. But they had to get there, like so many other pilots who push too hard and never did get there.

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Get-There-Itis."

I must get to my destination, whatever it takes! You see, that mind set, "get-there-itis," has proven fatal for too many pilots. That safety instructor told me that private pilots have fatally ignored weather conditions, their own fatigue, safety checks, because they had to get there. "Get-there-itis" isn't new, there was a problem long before there were airplanes. It's a problem for many of us who never fly.

Genesis 27 , our word for today from the Word of God. Now, it appears here that the Jewish patriarch, Isaac, is on his death bed. It's time for him to give his blessing to his oldest son Esau, the blessing that will grant him all the family leadership. But Isaac's wife, Rebekah wants that blessing for her youngest son, Jacob, she's sure Jacob should be the one having it. After all, God had told her that Jacob would get the blessing, but it looked like Isaac was dying and God needed a little help so while Esau is out hunting for his dad's favorite meal, Rebekah schemes to make things happen. Verses 5-10, "Now Rebekah was listening as Isaac spoke to his son Esau. When Esau left for the open country to hunt game and bring it back, Rebekah said to her son Jacob, 'Look, I overheard your father say to your brother Esau, 'Bring me some game and prepare me some tasty food to eat, so that I may give you my blessing in the presence of the Lord before I die.' Now, my son, listen carefully and do what I tell you: Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, so I can prepare some tasty food for your father, just the way he likes it. Then you take it to your father to eat, so that he may give you his blessing before he dies.'"

Well, it worked. Jacob successfully cheated Esau and as a result Jacob had to flee for his life. Rebekah knows she has one son who is violently angry, and now one who will have to leave the country, her beloved Jacob. And she says, "I'll send word for you to come back from there, why should I lose both of you in one day?" Well, actually she wouldn't see Jacob for fourteen years because of her scheming. And Isaac, he lived for many more years. Rebekah had "get-there-itis." I know a destination we need to get to and I'll do whatever it takes to get there - as a result her family crashed.

There's is a Rebekah in many of us, maybe you. Maybe God knows you're on the verge of messing things up with "get-there-itis." You want it bad. You may even think it is God's will, but you can't wait for God to do it His way, in His time. You're pushing and you're running ahead of God. Don't make the fatal mistake that costs pilots their lives, that cost Rebekah the very thing she wanted most - her family - by trying to make things happen.

"Get-there-itis" might actually keep you from getting there ever, or making it not worth getting there if you do. Let God make the flight plan, yours could make you crash.