The latest dream of an aircraft, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner made its appearance at the International Air Show in Farnborough today.
In many respects, this is indeed a dream of an aircraft, even though its production is two years behind schedule.
This plane is quite a revolution in aircraft design and engineering, being made largely of lightweight composite material, which massively reduces the overall weight of the aircraft and helps to make it the most fuel-efficient airliner available.
This frugal use of fuel means that the aircraft is relatively “greener” in operation, cheaper for the airlines to fly and potentially capable of covering long haul routes in a single hop instead of needing to stop for refuelling along the way.
This all sounds very good news for the airlines, their passengers and the rest of us who have any concern for the environment.
Perhaps the question still to be answered is why so many people want to travel to so many places in the shortest possible time? The anticipated demand for this new aircraft seems to demonstrate the insatiable desire of the human race to be constantly on the go – becoming ever more busy.
Sometimes, it is good to calm down a little and spend some time contemplating what it is all about – life, that is. Why are we here, and how should we using this precious gift of life?
The bible asks just that question in the following words:
Now listen to me, you that say, “Today or tomorrow we will travel to a certain city, where we will stay a year and go into business and make a lot of money.” You don’t even know what your life tomorrow will be! You are like a puff of smoke, which appears for a moment and then disappears. What you should say is this: “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.” (James ch4 v13-15)
The bible has a way of bringing us down to earth and asking us to think carefully about our ambitions, plans and schemes. Unless God is willing, our plans will all come to nothing. But then God often allows us to get on with whatever we have determined for our lives and then leaves us to count the cost when our precious life is nearing its end.
Jesus told a parable that sums up nicely the vanity of spending all our energies on getting wealthy, without giving enough thought to God.
Then Jesus told them this parable: “There was once a rich man who had land which bore good crops. He began to think to himself, ‘I don’t have a place to keep all my crops. What can I do? This is what I will do,’ he told himself; ‘I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, where I will store the grain and all my other goods. Then I will say to myself, Lucky man! You have all the good things you need for many years. Take life easy, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself!’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night you will have to give up your life; then who will get all these things you have kept for yourself? ‘ ” And Jesus concluded, “This is how it is with those who pile up riches for themselves but are not rich in God’s sight.” (Luke ch 12 v16-21)
I wonder – in what sense this new aircraft can help your dreams come true?
