SR 71 Blackbird

I served in the Air Force from 1971 to 1975.  Most of them time was spent in Colorado Springs.   There was nothing glorious about my job.  I drove up and down the flight line delivering supplies to the different hangars.

The tarmac by the last hangar was a little different in color due to the fact this is where the SR 71 Blackbird was housed when it was on base.  The color of the tarmac matched the color of the Blackbird, so it would blend in with its surroundings. 

 

While I was in the Air Force, access to this now retired jet was limited.  Today, people have easy access to this engineering marvel, and one can be seen at the Kansas Cosmosphere. 

While in service, the Blackbird set many speed records.  As an example, it flew from Los Angeles, CA to Washington, D.C. in 64 minutes 20 seconds.

Because the high speeds created high body temperatures, the engineers had to allow for thermal expansion.  To do this the fuselage panels were manufactured to fit loosely while on the ground.   Once it was airborne, proper alignment was achieved when the airframe heated-up and expanded several inches.  After a mission had been completed and the Blackbird had landed, the canopy temperature could be as high as 572 degrees.

The Blackbird had to be stressed (heated-up) before it was fully functional.  The same is true for the Christian:  We know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope (Romans 5:1).

When a person experiences the trials of life firsthand, he develops a skill-set that is of great benefit to others. Notice the sequence in the following verse:  The God of all comfort,  comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

After I had worked on my porch one day this Summer, I needed a little comfort.   I shot a 2 inch flooring nail through my finger, and it was not one of my Praise the Lord moments.  While this was a minor incident, it is difficult to rejoice when the heart is heavy with sadness; you have received some detrimental news; or, you’ve suffered a great loss.

At times we may feel like we are wearing a bull’s-eye, and are the target of God’s wrath.  The pain creates such an intense inward focus that we forget there are hundreds of people around the world having the same or similar experience.

When unwanted situations like these invade your life, remember that somewhere down the road, there’s a person who is going to need you to share the lessons you’ve learned.   You will be the comforter to help those in need of comfort.