Charles Elwood “Chuck” Yeager passed away last week at 97 years of age.  He became one of my childhood heroes through his depiction in the 1983 movie “The Right Stuff.”  His list of accomplishments is legendary.  He flew the P-51 Mustang in WWII and became an ace in a single day.  After the war he became a test pilot and was the first human to break the sound barrier on October 14, 1947.  His active-duty flying career spanned more than 30 years and he flew more than 360 different types of aircraft.  He retired in 1975 with the rank of Brigadier General. 

            One of the memorable scenes from “The Right Stuff” is when Chuck was on the verge of breaking the sound barrier.  His Bell X-1 rocket-powered aircraft was experiencing so much turbulence that it seemed as if it would be ripped apart.  Those who were skeptical about the breaking of the sound barrier actually believed that it was like flying into a brick wall in the sky.  It was at that moment that Chuck had a decision to make.  He could either back off the throttle and return to base safely to fly another day.  Or, he could increase the throttle to press through the turbulence and see what was on the other side.  Yeager made the decision to “punch it,” and discovered that the feared brick wall did not exist.  Once supersonic, the plane experienced clean air and peaceful flight. 

            There was a time in the ministry of Jesus when He too faced great turbulence:  the Garden of Gethsemane.  His very life was being shaken to the point that He prayed, “Father, if there be some other way…”  He also had a decision to make:  turn away from the mission the Father had given Him, or obediently press through the turbulence.  Jesus “punched it,” and endured the agony of crucifixion.  As a result it appeared that His life ended tragically rather than heroically.  But on the other side of the turbulence of crucifixion, there was Resurrection.  And the fact of the matter is that there is no Resurrection without turbulence of crucifixion.  Jesus broke the sin barrier.  And on the other side there is peace for all who are in Him. 

            2020 has been a year of great turbulence.  It is a year that tempts us to pull back in fear and to seek safety.  But the reality is that true peace lies on the other side of the turbulence.  Freedom lies on the other side of our anxiety when we put our trust in the One who broke the sin barrier and when we allow Him to lead us into the unknown (which is not unknown to Him).   Hebrews 12:2 says, “Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from beginning to end. He did not give up because of the cross! On the contrary, because of the joy that was waiting for him, he thought nothing of the disgrace of dying on the cross, and he is now seated at the right side of God’s throne (GNT).”  Whatever “barrier” you face today, let Jesus take you through to the other side.