So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify
the desires of the flesh.
A young pilot who was flying in bad weather found himself
in a difficult predicament when the weather changed for the worse. Visibility
dropped to a matter of feet as foggy conditions descended to the earth. Putting
total trust in his airplane's instruments was a new experience to him. The ink
was still wet on the certificate verifying that he was qualified for instrument
flying.
He wasn't worried about the flying, however. Rather, he
was concerned about being able to land. His destination was a crowded
metropolitan airport that he wasn't familiar with. He would be within radio
contact within minutes. Until then, he was alone with his thoughts. Flying
alone with no visibility, he was aware how easy it would be to panic. Twice he
reached for the radio to broadcast, "Mayday!" Instead, he forced
himself to go over the words of his instructor again and again. His instructor had
practically forced him to memorize the rule book. He didn't care for it at the
time, but now he was thankful.
Finally the voice of the air-traffic controller was
heard. Trying not to sound apprehensive, the young pilot asked for landing
instructions.
"I'm going to put you in a holding pattern,"
the controller responded.
Great! Thought the pilot. However, he knew that his safe
landing was in the hands of a person he couldn't see. He had to draw upon his
previous instruction and training, and trust the guidance of the air traffic
controller. The words of an old hymn, "Trust and obey for there's no other
way," took on new meaning. Aware that this was no time for pride, he
informed the controller, "This is not a seasoned pro up here. I would
appreciate any help you can give me."
"You got it!" He heard back.
For the next 45 minutes, the controller gently guided the
pilot through the blinding fog. Course and altitude corrections came
periodically. The young pilot realized the controller was guiding him around
obstacles and away from potential collisions. With the words of the rule book
firmly placed in his mind and the instructions from the controller, he finally
landed safely. During the ordeal, the controller assumed that the instructions
of the flight manual were understood by the young pilot. His guidance could
only be based on that. Such is the case with the Holy Spirit, who guides us
through the maze of life with the knowledge of God's will established in our
minds.'
Are you relying on the Holy Spirit to lead you through
all of life’s obstacles? Make today the day you completely trust in Him.
Dear Lord, thank You for giving us the Holy Spirit to
lead and guide us through the struggles of life. Help us to not try and do it on our won. In
Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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