THE CONTROL TOWER

        As I sat in my seat in the huge 747 awaiting takeoff I was reading my Bible. I was reading Isaiah chapter 40. Like most of the book of Isaiah it is filled with wonderful insights. Then I came to the last verse, "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." (Is. 40:31) and it suddenly struck me that in this jet the pilot was waiting for proper instructions, for clearance before he too lifted up this jet "on wings as eagles". The similarities between this and the Christian waiting upon God for instructions and clearance are amazing.

        The jet weighs many tons and is incapable of raising itself off of the ground. And yet, using the knowledge of aeronautics and some very powerful engines, the pilot was able to race that metal tube down a runway until it seemed to mystically rise from the ground, almost as if the law of gravity had lost its grip. To make a successful takeoff, however, takes the cooperation of the pilot and the control tower. The pilot may have his hands on the controls, but the control tower sees things the pilot cannot. While the pilot may file the flight plan it is the control tower that dictates whether that plan is valid or not. It is their job to make sure the runway and skies ahead are clear. They have weather updates so the plane can take a different route if it needs to. Hazardous conditions are made known to the pilot, and thereby avoided.

        Picture if you will the pilot going over his check list. He must make sure the plane is safe to fly. There are many things to check, especially today with all the electronics on board. During this time the pilot is in contact with the Control Tower. After all passengers are on board and the flight check is done the jet is pulled into a position where it can taxi to the runway. Now in large airports there are many runways so the Tower has instructed the pilot which runway to go to. Obedience to the Tower is crucial to all on board. When he gets to the runway he stops again. Why? He goes through the check list one final time and awaits word from the Tower, clearing him for takeoff. Finally it is given, the powerful engines roar and the jet moves along the ground with ever increasing speed until, finally, it cannot stay on the ground any longer. The pilot eases back on the yoke and the huge hunk of metal lifts away from the earth with the ease of a helium filled balloon released from a child's hand.

        Is this not the way of a Christian? Are we not also to wait upon the Lord? It is then that, in prayer, we remain in constant contact with our Tower, the Heavenly Father. We search ourselves, go through that necessary check list, until we are absolutely sure that we are safe for "lift off". The Lord then directs us in a certain way. It may not be that "flight plan" that we initially filed, but it is the one that is safest for us and will be most beneficial to His kingdom at that time. He has not forgotten our flight plan. It may be that at some other day He calls upon us to take that route, but not now. Today he points us in a way that we did not think of. In obedience we line up for take off. Still we do not move out until we again go through our check list.

        What I mean by that is to check one's life and make sure all things are right between oneself and God. We realize that this action has caused a weakness that needs to be mended. That thought has brought stress into a vital area of our "craft" and needs to be freed up. It's called looking in the most honest mirror there is, seeing who we are and asking God to make us into who He wants us to be. It's called asking for forgiveness. This has been done prior to leaving for the runway. That's when all the mercy of God was poured out upon us so that we might be made worthy, strengthened in our places of weakness and freed in our areas of bondage. It is then we are directed to the runway.

        Once word is received from the Father, our Control Tower, we have a choice. We can be obedient and walk in the strength and might of God so that He might lift us up, or we can go our own way, bringing stress, burden, sin and even sometimes death to ourselves. Like the pilot, we must be careful that we obey the commands of the Control Tower or we put ourselves and those around us at risk. Yet we have done this, we have been obedient and stand at the end of the runway, the beginning of some work God has called us to do. We look out and the way stretches out before us as something terrifying. What we are being called to do is not possible. So we go to the Bible, our check list, just to make sure we have everything right. And we wait. We wait until God says, "Go." The disciples of Jesus went out preaching, but they did not go unless first sent by Jesus and secondly told how to proceed. Studying the Bible with this same thought in mind prepares us for what is ahead. There is a calling. What we have been called to do is simply impossible, but as we go through God's check list we see that, "With God all things are possible." As faith grows in our hearts we hear the voice of God speaking to us, "Go!" The first steps are rough, bumpy steps that increase in roughness and loudness, until suddenly, we find God doing through us that which is impossible.

        So I sit here awaiting takeoff in this jet, I bow my head in prayer, thanking God for His Word. I allow it to pour through every cell of my being, flood every thought in my mind. I am waiting for word from my Control Tower. If I do so and am obedient to what I hear I shall, "rise up with wings as eagles."

        Excuse me, the "Fasten Your Seatbelt" sign just came on. We're nearing takeoff.