A MOMENT WITH OUR MINISTER

Rev. Rob Hughes

August 2004

A Moment With Our Minister

"WHO IS THE PILOT?"

Almost 30 years ago, Gen. Robert Lee Scott wrote a book about his experiences as an American pilot in China during World War II. The book may not have been as popular as this author might have hoped, but the title gained far more popularity than he could have imaged. I never read his book, but its title has become very familiar to me and probably is also to you. I first saw it on a bumper sticker that caught my eye one day while driving.Boldly printed in red, white and blue were the words: "God is my Co-Pilot".

I am a pilot and at the time was a new Christian. I remember that those words really moved me. There was something profound about them; a statement, no . . . a declaration that the person driving that car had a spiritual connection with Almighty God; Creator of the Universe. I immediately felt a connection to the driver of that car as both a pilot and a Christian.

As I pondered that saying in my mind, I became more and more aware of God's presence in my life. I soon realized that God wasn't just there when I flew; God was always there, flying, driving, working, playing; no matter what I was doing. God was, and is, a constant presence in my life and in all of our lives; even when we're not aware. This is a truth that we can hold close to our hearts; especially in those times when we feel alone or beaten down by this world.

But there was something that just didn't seem right about this catchy little phrase and that bothered me for some time. Then I realized; it had to do with where I had placed God in my life. If God is my Co-pilot, than that makes me the pilot. You see, the pilot has full command of the airplane and the final say about what happens in that airplane. The pilot even has the authority to overrule the orders of the flight controllers on the ground, but in doing so they may have some explaining to do when they finally land. So then, if God's the co-pilot and I'm the pilot, than that must mean that I'm in control of this metaphorical airplane that is my life. When we look around us, it's easy to see that's how the world seems to work.

But I had to stop and think; who am I to imagine myself in a position of authority over the Creator of the Universe? There is really something wrong with that picture. That's not the relationship that God intends for us, yet in our humanness, it's easy to unconsciously place our own wants and desires - our will - before our obedience to the will of God.

In contrast to the world, God has a plan for each and every one of us. If we surrender our wants and desires to God along with the seat of authority over our lives, we allow God to work his will in and through us. We make God, and obedience to His will, the number one priority in our lives. In doing so, our relationship with God through Christ grows stronger; when we don't, our relationship with God suffers and we move farther apart. In my own experience I have found that when I surrender the pilot seat of my life to God, the flight is a lot smoother. God is good, all the time, and always has our best interests at heart; even when we don't think so.

Keep in mind that once is not enough. We must continually make a conscious effort to let God be in charge of our lives or our old worldly habits of self control and self interest will sneak back in and take over. Our Christian walk is one of constant surrender to God through our daily participation in reading the Bible, personal devotions, service to others, and prayer. We are also strengthened through worship and fellowship within the Christian community. I cannot begin to stress how important these things are to a healthy spiritual life and growth as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

God Bless you all,The Rev. Rob Hughes

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