April 29, 1975 was a fateful and chaotic day in Vietnam. Anyone associated with the Americans was frantic to leave Saigon by any means available. The North Vietnamese were about to overrun the city.
Major Buang was a South Vietnamese pilot. In a desperate attempt to escape, he and his wife and five children climbed into a Cessna 170 owned by the military. Coaxing the overloaded plane airborne, he headed toward the sea with no radio and limited fuel.
Larry Chambers was captain of the nearby USS Midway. In retelling the story he said, “About noon, this guy shows up and tries to drop a note on board!” After multiple attempts, Buang was successful. His note asked for a clear runway so he could land the plane. But the commanding admiral had already given the order to reject the landing.
Chambers knew that if the plane crashed into the sea or on the deck, lives would be lost. Risking court martial, he defied the admiral. He ordered his crew to shove nine Huey and Chinook helicopters into the sea to clear the Midway’s runway. That fateful day, Buang made his first and only Cessna landing on an aircraft carrier. The sailors burst into celebration when the children emerged with their parents! Chambers and crew had rescued the family at the cost of military aircraft worth millions of dollars.
Rescue is one way to describe the Christian gospel. It elicits strong emotions of relief and gratitude. Rescue is the reason Jesus is called the Savior. We need to be rescued or set free, and the ransom cost was high – the death of God the Son. The outcome is life for all who trust Jesus as Savior.
In a personal and transparent way, Paul explains. “I am sold into bondage to sin. I know that nothing good dwells in me. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free” (Rom. 7:18ff). By faith you live the repentant life, set free from guilt and condemnation. That is the Christian gospel, and it is good news!
Now for the rest of the story. Chambers remained captain of the Midway and later received a promotion to admiral. Buang and his family became naturalized American citizens. Chambers called Buang the “bravest man I have ever met in my life.”
It was an unlikely rescue that happened in the chaos of Vietnam. But your rescue by God is even more unlikely. Just think! The God who created the universe loves you personally and has prepared a place for you with Him. By faith, you receive His rescue from the chaos of this world and the human condition. That’s amazing grace!