A Lesson from the Boy in Aisle Five

Years ago, when I was a young Associate Pastor, I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Lloyd Ogilvie. He was had just resigned from his pastorate in Hollywood and was moving to Washington to serve as the Senate Chaplain. He is a noted preacher and speaker and he honored his commitment to speak at our church. One of the stories he told was about an airplane ride.
He was sitting in the terminal waiting to board the plane and he saw a seven year old boy waiting to board the flight. Before any of the other passengers were allowed to board, one of the stewardesses took the boy by the hand and walked with him down the ramp. Ogilvie was delighted when he arrived in the plane to find the boy seated right next to him. The boy was already engaged in coloring by the time he sat down but the boy was very polite when they spoke. After a short time, the airplane took off and the child was as calm as could be. Suddenly, the airplane entered a turbulent storm and began to pitch and rock about like a kite in the wind. Many of the passengers became alarmed and one woman across the aisle from Dr. Ogilvie and the boy looked near panic. She burst out to the child, “Little boy, aren’t you scared?” To which the boy replied, “No, ma’am!” He then looked up from his coloring book and said, “My dad’s the pilot.”
There are times in life when we feel that we are in the midst of the storm. We face difficult decisions, difficult circumstances, or difficult issues. Sometimes we may feel like the proverbial “kite in the wind.” It doesn’t take long to find out that life is not always a trip through the friendly skies. Sure footing can be hard to find! But for all of us, there is hope!Psalm 121:2 says, “My help comes from the Lord who made the heavens and the earth.” Do we really trust God? We want to be more like the little boy who has total and complete confidence in the pilot, and there are many times when we do, but there are other times when we are frantic and worried like the woman across the aisle. The future can be scary when we trust ourselves to find safe passage. Stop trusting in yourself! Today, ask God for the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life in the good and the bad times. Without a doubt, uncertain times are ahead for all of us. When those times occur, just repeat after me (with confidence)… “my Father is the pilot!… my Father is the pilot!” God is in charge and God loves you and wants the very best for your life.