When I was a
teenager, I learned to fly airplanes. Just after my 16th birthday, one
July morning, the flight instructor stepped out of the airplane and said,
"Take it around the pattern three times while I observe from the
ground!" It was solo flight time. A few weeks later, he sent me on my
first “cross-country” flight. No, not to
California! For the first time, I would fly outside of the immediate area of my
home airport. George and I plotted my course from Pittstown, NJ to Annville,
PA, about an hour's flight time.
What a thrill when I pointed that little Cessna down the runway. As the ground fell away, I could see our farm off to the right. A moment later, I flew over my high school on the left; then over the Delaware River. Caught up in the experience, I set my charts aside and flew on. I neglected a couple of checkpoints, feeling that as long as I kept my compass set to the heading that the chart indicated I would fine. After about 30 minutes, I realized that what I was seeing on the ground did not match the flight chart. I was flying over a city and that wasn't indicated along my flight path. I was lost! In just a few moments with the help of radio vectors (remember this is pre-GPS!) I found that I was miles south of my planned flight course! My adventure was a lesson in the effect of winds aloft! A light wind blowing out of the northwest had pushed my little airplane southerly, off course, with steady, but invisible force. I learned that even if my compass read my planned course heading it didn't necessarily mean that I was going to arrive at my destination. I had to correct my course against the prevailing winds.
What a thrill when I pointed that little Cessna down the runway. As the ground fell away, I could see our farm off to the right. A moment later, I flew over my high school on the left; then over the Delaware River. Caught up in the experience, I set my charts aside and flew on. I neglected a couple of checkpoints, feeling that as long as I kept my compass set to the heading that the chart indicated I would fine. After about 30 minutes, I realized that what I was seeing on the ground did not match the flight chart. I was flying over a city and that wasn't indicated along my flight path. I was lost! In just a few moments with the help of radio vectors (remember this is pre-GPS!) I found that I was miles south of my planned flight course! My adventure was a lesson in the effect of winds aloft! A light wind blowing out of the northwest had pushed my little airplane southerly, off course, with steady, but invisible force. I learned that even if my compass read my planned course heading it didn't necessarily mean that I was going to arrive at my destination. I had to correct my course against the prevailing winds.
Are you ‘on course’ in life, or have you drifted and lost your way? Just because we set off in pursuit of a good goal and seem to be moving along in the right direction does not mean we will get there. Every day we need to do course correction. Prevailing winds of peer pressure, cultural influences, or economic issues can gently and certainly divert us from pursuit of our heavenly home. When powerful winds blow- spiritual attack, failure of health, a spouse's infidelity - we feel the buffeting and realize the need for greater vigilance. However, when the sun is shining and life is good the ‘winds aloft’ can carry us away.
The Bible tells us that “So
we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away
from it." (Hebrews 2:1, NLT) Drifting away, pushed by the prevailing
winds of life far off course from a godly way, is the greater danger. A devoted disciple of Jesus does not just wake
up one Monday morning and decide that he is done with the Christian life. But, millions wake up and find their passion
for Jesus has cooled as they tolerated 'little' disobediences in their life, or
as they neglected spiritual disciplines for an extended season. Over time that person loses their way because
the ungodly influences move them almost imperceptibly from Christ and His
love.
Don’t think I am telling you that you can save yourself by self-determination
or self-reliance. Christ saves us and His Spirit guides us. We pray, today and
each day – “Lord Jesus Christ, You are my Savior. Keep me on course. Help me to
respond quickly to Your leading, to keep my heart attuned to your whispers.” Like my onboard radio that brought me home
that fateful day in 1971, the Spirit is a Beacon that draws us to our home.
Here's a word from the Word for you to think on today. Forgive me for the edits that make it fit my illustration of flight. “So watch your step,(flight path) friends. Make sure there's no evil unbelief lying around that will trip you up and (prevailing winds blowing through your life without your awareness to) throw you off course, diverting you from the living God. For as long as it's still God's Today, keep each other on your toes so sin doesn't slow down your reflexes. If we can only keep our grip on (stay on course towards) the sure thing we started out with, we're in this with Christ for the long haul." (Hebrews 3:12-14, The Message)
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