Our God is Greater

Our God is greater, our God is stronger,
God, You are higher than any other
Our God is healer, awesome in power, our God, our God.

from the song "Our God" by Chris Tomlin

This incident happened on our way to Manila from Chiang Mai via Kuala Lumpur. We’ve been blessed to be here for this year’s Spring Break.

At Air Asia’s Kuala Lumpur (KL) airport, Ethan lost a part to his little airplane. It happened when we passed the scanning area where all belongings go onto the belt and through the x-ray machine for final inspection before heading to the boarding gates. Unfortunately, Ethan’s backpack had an aerosol deodorant. The guard on duty confiscated it by pulling it out of his backpack’s side pocket. In doing so, the tail part of his 4-piece airplane fell off. Only later when we were having breakfast did I notice his downcast face. Thinking it was because he lost his deodorant [imagine a 10 year old wearing deodorant! =)], I told him that it’s okay because he learned and will never do it again. It was then that he showed me his tailless airplane.

First of all, he got the airplane as a surprise toy from a chocolate candy that we bought in KL. It’s not a candy that’s sold in Thailand so since we were at the airport leaving KL, not something that we could easily buy again even if we wanted to. Furthermore, each treat had a surprise toy which in keeping with its name meant you didn’t know what you’re going to get. Even if we could leave the airport to buy another one, it was impossible to know which candy to buy to get another airplane. As a last resort, I asked Ethan if he wanted us to return to the scanning area to look for the missing tail piece. Even as I said it, I didn’t have much hope of finding it but I thought it’d give Ethan something to do other than despairing.

As we went back to the place, he reflected my doubts as he asked if I thought we’d find it. In response, I loudly sang the highlighted words above. When I finished, I asked him if there was anything impossible with God. He said “no”. As he said that, I deeply wished and prayed that we would find the airplane’s tail. I was realistic that given how much time had passed (close to 45 minutes), how little the piece was (the pictures show the airplane and tail part on Ethan's hand), and that it might not have dropped there in the first place, it WAS impossible to truly find it. Yet, I was hopeful and understanding it wasn’t impossible with God, nothing was.

When we got there, the guard allowed me to search through his container of confiscated goods but he repeated what I already thought before going through the process, “There is nothing there.” Ethan was just watching me at a distance. I wearily stood up and prepared to leave but as I did something caught my eye, what was that?!? On the rollers itself, there was a little, reddish brown, plastic piece that was too big to go in between the rollers but was too small to be noticed by busy guards. Could it be? YES! It was indeed the missing tail piece!

And if our God is for us then who could ever stop us,
And if our God is with us then what could stand against?

I stood exaggeratedly like a cross as I showed the guard that I found what I was looking for. I held the tail piece on my right hand as my left hand displayed the rest of the airplane. Short of dancing, I sang the next verse to the same song (words above) as I turned around to present the parts to a very surprised but elated Ethan. I allowed him to put the parts together as I sang again,

Our God is greater, our God is stronger,
God, You are higher than any other
Our God is healer, awesome in power, our God, our God.

Only later when Ethan said, “Mom, you’re embarrassing me!” did I stop. =)

Praise God! We thank God too that the incident wasn't a prophesy about our airplane ride. The airplane we flew on did well and didn't lose its tail. =) We made it here safe and sound.