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| [Image by Katch] |
I'm located somewhere past the security zone in the airport, and I see a couple of men walk towards the terminal. They are dressed in professional blue and white long-sleeved aviator shirts, shoulders decorated with epaulets, complete with pilot ties and properly pressed black pants. At this point, my lips break into a full-blown smile because I am certain that these men are the pilots who will be flying the plane.
They walk with absolute boldness, even though they understand the colossal nature of the responsibilities involved with flying all two hundred and seventy-nine passengers in this commercial aircraft. I admire how they give off an air of confidence, and I secretly covet such fine leadership. Men willing to sacrifice their lives for the transportation of two hundred and seventy-nine passengers from one part of the world to another. How incredible.
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Today, I'm reflecting on copilots. A copilot is the second in command, he's what they call the "relief pilot," someone who would pilot the plane if anything happened to the main pilot (the captain). He also helps the captain in other minor duties during the flight. Many people might say we're the copilots of our lives, while God is the captain, but I disagree. In this life, we are not the copilots of the plane but the passengers.
Let me explain my views. You see, a copilot is just as finely skilled as the captain. He can read the maps and knows the terrain really well. We, on the other hand, are limited in our knowledge of the terrains of this world, and we have to depend on the Captain (God) to show us the way. And yes, one day, He'll teach us how to fly...how to become pilots of our smaller planes. But see, I don't think we will ever be copilots with Him. Nothing will ever happen that He'll lose control of the plane and we'll have to "relieve" him of his duties. He'll always be there, from the beginning to the end. So we must live our lives giving Him all the glory as the Captain. We must continue to be passengers depending on Him for our daily bread. He has given us dominion over everything on earth, yes, but He's still the ultimate Captain of our plane.
And Here's How He Loves Us:
1) He's captain of the plane but never takes His eyes off us. We can bug Him even while He's flying the plane, He's never too far away that He can't hear us or reach us. "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy that He cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God." (Isaiah 59:1). It's not that He can't hear us, it's because our own distractions take us away from Him.
2) He sent His own Son to die for our sins. "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." (John 15:13). There's no love greater than the sacrifice of a life. No other love will do. And this message will never get old no matter how many times it is told, it will always resound.
3) He forgives us time and time again. Many a time, we've tried to take over the plane. We've tried to tell the Captain what turn He should take to steer the plane in the right direction. Many times, we've tried to become the copilots of our lives, relieving God of His duties when we think He can't handle it anymore. Yet, time and time again He forgives us and takes us back as prodigal children who need the love of a Father and a Pilot.
4) He speaks to us. Even in the vastness of His limitless knowledge, He does not consider it robbery to speak with us in the dead of the night or with the rising of the sun. In fact, He makes it a point of duty to talk to us twenty-four hours a day, if our ears are tuned to listen. He's always there. There are more than six billion people in the world, but He will answer to as many as will call upon His name. What greater love is there than this? "What is man that You are mindful of Him, and the son of man that you visit him?" (Psalm 8:4)
5) He will never let us go. His principle is LOVE, and His banner over us is LOVE. "He brought me to the banqueting house, and His banner over me was love," (Song of Solomon 2:4). That's the kind of love I want today. Love that isn't based on what I've done wrong or what I've done right, but is just there for me regardless. Love that chooses to sacrifice His life for my transportation in the world. Love that allows me to be a passenger in a finely-flown airplane, but also gives me the power and dominion to rule in my own regiment. I want that kind of love, every single day.
Happy VALENTINE'S DAY, readers. The most genuine kind of love involves the sacrifice of a life, and that's what Jesus did for you & I. Enjoy God's love today and everyday forever more. Amen.
