The Green Light

​Harry Generaux was 18 years old when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The U.S. Air Corps was suffering from a shortage of bomber pilots and Harry wanted to fly.  He signed up for service and underwent an intensive nine-month program to fly the B-17 Flying Fortress. On November 10, 1944, Harry was assigned to fly with a new crew.  His 19thmission was the first test of this band of young flyers and it would prove to be perhaps the most memorable of their military career.  Their main objective was to attack and destroy key German targets.  Harry navigated the plane into the 36-ship formation.  Finally arriving at their destination, the attack commenced in earnest as clusters of bombs tumbled from B-17 bellies.  ​

As Harry maneuvered to drop their bombs, their B-17 was hit with a barrage of flak from German Air Defense ground batteries.  Harry turned the tattered plane away from Germany and high winds blew the plane far off course.  Descending to about 1,000 ft. Harry implored his men to look for a place to land.  Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Harry glimpsed a green pulse of light.  “What is that?”  he wondered. Thinking someone was signaling him, Harry turned the plane in the direction where he thought the flash came from.  Soon he saw a battered airfield in the distance.  Harry was the only member of the crew who witnessed the green light, a beacon never detected again.  

Rapidly they approached two damaged runways and ground littered with debris.  Amazingly, a third, intact runway appeared and Henry was able to coax the B-17 to a safe landing.  Soon a group of Frenchmen approached the plane and the crew realized they were secure in the hands of allies.  While conversing with the Frenchmen who came to the aid of the crew, Harry asked which of them was responsible for flashing the green light at his aircraft.  They responded that they did not do this, in fact, they had no lights or other means to signal the lost plane.  How did this happen?  Was this a case of divine intervention?  To this day, Harry describes clearly seeing the flash of green light and the profound impact it had on his life.  “This incident reaffirmed my belief in God.”  He credits the Lord with saving him and having meaningful plans for his life.  
 
Meditation
Psalm 56:13—For You delivered me from death, even my feet from stumbling, to walk before God in the light of life.
 
The green light for most of us is a clear signal to go.  For Harry it boiled down to “Go with God.”  At the age of 96 he is still going strong with His Savior.  He is an inspiration to us all to trust God no matter how difficult things may seem.  Something to think about . . . in reveration!
 
Inspiration
Have we believed in the light we have had?—Oswald Chambers in Our Brilliant Heritage
 
©2019 Daniel York  ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)