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Trust the Pilot

Tom Barnard

don’t enjoy flying in small airplanes. In fact, I don’t enjoy flying in commercial jetliners either. To be totally frank, I don’t enjoy flying…period! Many years ago, when I was in the U.S. Air Force, my commanding officer needed to get in some flying time and asked me if I would like to go up with him “for a spin” in a T-28 two-seater. I said, “Sure.” Bad decision on my part. The pilot had a great sense of humor, and he decided to demonstrate it for me at 3,000 feet above the ground near Laredo, Texas. Eventually, we landed safely, but I vowed never to do that again.

Dan West tells the story about a man who had a frightening experience on board a jetliner at 32,000 feet. The pilot announced turbulent weather ahead and directed everyone to buckle their seat belts. A passenger became quite distressed by the subsequent bumping around until he noticed a young boy seated next to him who was not even slightly fazed by the sudden, violent movements of the plane. Upon landing, the passenger asked his young companion, “I noticed you were not frightened up there. Why was that?” The boy replied, “Sir, I know the pilot. He’s my dad. I knew that as long as he was in charge of things, I would be safe.”

What a great affirmation for the Christian life.

                   I know the Pilot. As long as the controls are in His hands, I’m okay.

We all experience frightening times in our lives, and especially in our ministerial assignments. Often, like clear-air turbulence, those times come without warning. There we are, flying high; everything is going fine, and then suddenly, without warning, trouble hits. The bottom falls out of our support system. No one offers to help, other than to offer advice like, “Hang in there; everything’s going to be okay.” But we know everything is not going to be okay. Nothing we learned in college or seminary prepared us for these sudden, underserved attacks to our credibility.

In turbulent times I have found comfort in the promises of God—particularly in the Psalms. One psalm on everyone’s list of favorites is Psalm 91. Note the beauty and strength of this passage (verses 9-12):

     “If you make the Most High your dwelling—even the Lord, who is my refuge—

            then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent,

     For he will command his angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways;

            they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a         stone.”

The key to all the blessings promised in Psalm 91 is knowing the Pilot. There isn’t anything that falls outside of His control. There are no problems so great that He cannot solve them. There are no adversaries so powerful that He cannot overcome them. And when the turbulence is greatest, He is greater. Read the closing promise in the psalm from the mouth of the Lord Himself (verses 14-16):

     “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he

       acknowledges my name; He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be

       with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and

       show him my salvation.”

Do this for me, please: re-write the above paragraph, setting it in the first person singular. Begin like this: “Because you love me, I will rescue you; I will protect you, for you acknowledge my name.” Once you have re-written the paragraph, make it your personal promise from God. Read it to yourself whenever you feel turbulence coming. You know the Pilot; turn over the controls of your life to Him. Do it now. He wants to bring you safely through whatever is troubling you. Trust Him to do so.