Transoceanic plane travel has always been fraught with potential problems.

Fuel could run low or a plane could develop mechanic problems mid-flight. The pilots would need a place to set down, pronto.

But in the middle of the ocean, where is there to land?

That’s where islands come in.

There are some handy places to land even in the vast expanse of the oceans.

In the Pacific, islands such as Midway, Wake, and Hawaii are available. The Atlantic offers Iceland, the Azores, and Bermuda, among others.

Not least is Newfoundland, an island off the eastern coast of Canada. For decades its Gander airport was used as a refuelling stop for planes making the hop across the Atlantic. It’s also an emergency landing spot for aircraft in trouble.

Gander is perhaps best known for its role in accepting 38 diverted planes that had to set down during the terrorist attacks in the U.S. on 9/11, twenty-two years ago today. Over six thousand passengers were generously hosted by the surrounding communities until U.S. airspace was reopened, a story commemorated in the hit musical, “Come From Away.”

Gander was truly an island of hope during that time.

I think we can all be islands of hope for others.

Perhaps someone you know is going through a rough patch in their lives. Maybe they’re in hospital and would be cheered by a visit from a friend. Or it could be that you know a single mom who could use some assistance with grocery money or a helping hand with the kids.

The acts of kindness you perform might seem small to you, but you have no idea how much they might mean to someone else. Your goodness might shine brightly as a beacon of hope in what is otherwise a dark period for them. People might not compose a musical about what you’ve done, but they’ll remember your compassion for years to come.

But what if you’re the one in trouble at sea, as it were, and need a landing spot for your soul? What if you need some encouragement in the midst of difficult circumstances?

There’s are islands of hope in Scripture for you, one of them in the Book of Lamentations.

As you can tell from its title, Lamentations is no picnic. It was written by Jeremiah, “the weeping prophet,” and indeed the book reads like a funeral dirge.

It describes one tale of woe after another that befell ancient Jerusalem. The city was destroyed on account of the people’s rejection of their God.

And yet even in the midst of this story of suffering and affliction, there shines a gleaming ray of hope.

It occurs in Lamentations 3:21-23:

“Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope:
Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed,
For His mercies never fail.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness!”

Jeremiah had hope that there would come a day of restoration for his people, a day of renewed blessings and mercy. He knew that God was faithful, and that He would keep His promises.

This is an island that we can land on, too.

No matter what we go through as believers, we can trust that we remain firmly in God’s hands and under His loving care. We will yet see fresh mercies.

“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)

Take hold of these promises when you’re in distress: land on them.

There’s a runway on God’s islands of hope, and you are always cleared for landing!

© 2023 Lori J. Cartmell. All rights reserved.