They That Wait...

Sitting in Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport waiting it out for my connection home, I began to have a “fire shut up in my bones” experience.  I ran across this quote by Lysa TerKeurst that adequately punctuates the following thought….“God’s love for us is fiercely tender and He will go to great lengths to protect us, provide for us, and put us in positions that allow us to grow. We may not understand it. We may not like it. But we can rest in the absolute assurance of His love.”

Wait.....WHAT???

It’s like this…..

Shortly after boarding my plane from Phoenix to Atlanta, the pilot informed us of possible turbulence and less than favorable weather over Atlanta. We were told to observe the seat belt signs, limit walking and so on. Just as predicted, there was quite a bit of shakin’ goin on. One movie later combined with more ride time, the pilot announced that we were 30 minutes from the Atlanta airport, signaling preparation for landing. It was nighttime. Typically, close to a major city, it is easy to see lights although it is night. However, from my window seat, I couldn’t see a thing. There was thick cloud coverage all around. I could clearly see the lights on the wing, but that’s about it. I thought, “How in the world can the pilot land this plane with such low visibility?” It was beyond me, of course, because I’m not a pilot. I haven’t been trained in the mechanics or operation of aircraft. I don’t have ANY idea how that whole process works. In fact, to be perfectly honest, I don’t have to because it’s not my responsibility. My responsibility is to simply trust the pilot to implement his expertise, sit back, and take the ride.

Proverbs tell us to trust with all of our hearts without leaning on our own understanding AND that God WILL direct our paths. Funny…..when the pilot announced that we would be landing soon, from the looks of it (outside my window), there was no evidence to back this up.  There was no obvious indication that we were even close to civilization….no city lights or anything to “prove” that landing would actually take place. But, before I knew it, the lights of the landing strip suddenly came into view as the plane lowered itself closer and closer to the ground, finally landing and coming to a safe stop….as it was designed to…..just as the pilot had said….

How often do we question the pilot of our lives, Jesus Christ, who not only knows this journey and the aircraft, but He designed the trip. He knows what “turbulence” lays in wait for us and knows exactly how to navigate around it or through it…..as He so chooses. Sometimes, looking out the windows of our lives, we are tired, frightened, frustrated, angry, depressed, unmotivated, discouraged, and the list goes on, simply because the cloudiness of our situations and scenarios make us think that it is unlikely that we will either make it, recover, heal, be restored, begin again, smile, live….. But, somehow, the voice of the Pilot breaks through our foggy, distorted thought processes to remind and reassure us that we are close to landing. There may not be any proof-positive indications, but we can be sure that we are close to landing. We cannot see any familiar “lights,” but trust that we are close to landing.  So, against our human logic and everything rational, we secure our seat belts for the hundredth time, sit back, and….. Just. Take. The. Ride.
Just. Take. The. Ride. Before you know it……your ride, your trip, your chaos, your trepidation, your cluelessness, your fears, your dismay, your brokenness, your issues, …..will be over…..you WILL land safely…..de-plane……reaching your destination…..not YOUR destination, but the destination that was designed for you before you were even thought of.

“Why would you ever complain, O Jacob, or, whine, Israel, saying, “God has lost track of me. He doesn’t care what happens to me”? Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening? God doesn’t come and go. God lasts. He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine. He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath. And he knows everything, inside and out. He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall. But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, They run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind.” Isaiah 40:27-31 MSG

They that wait…..

Just. Take. The. Ride….