Depending on the length of the flight and my mood, I usually prefer to sit in an aisle seat. Not trapped, I can GET OUT of my seat anytime I want. But there is a trade off. And sometimes I am next to a window. Trust me, I have seen a lot of unbelievable things looking outside the window of a plane.
Last Saturday we flew over the Swiss Alps. The beauty took my breath away. Majestic. POWERFUL displays of creation. Craig didn’t see it, because he was in the aisle seat. He kept leaning over to try and catch a glimpse. But all he could see was the flat horizon and occasional big clouds. As I was overjoyed with awe, he sat there, seat belted in. Beyond frustrated. He was in the wrong position to grab that amazing view.
When we passed the Alps, the sun was so bright, almost blinding. I noticed that pretty much everyone was pulling down their window blinds. The whole cabin that once was filled with daylight became dark. People were starting to go to sleep. Even though it was daytime.
What flight are you on with your relationship with Jesus?
Is it a short hop?
Is it a cross country flight with lots of stops?
Or is it an intercontinental nonstop journey of a lifetime that crosses the time zones of eternity?
Maybe you are in an aisle seat right now with Jesus. You are sitting there because you know that you can GET OUT anytime that you want. You don’t want to feel trapped. But because of where you are seated, you have lost your amazing view.
Maybe your flight with Jesus is just a big flat long horizon. Routine. Dull. Boring.
Maybe your flight with Jesus is full of occasional big clouds. Anxiety. Fear. Depression.
Maybe on your flight with Jesus your neck aches because you keep trying to catch a glimpse of His majesty.
And you sit there, seat belted in. Beyond frustrated.
Yes, you can choose to close the blinds, to cover the windows of your soul.
Jesus allows us to stop His bright, penetrating, everlasting light anytime we want. The problem is that too many of us have done that.
A church that was once filled with the Holy Spirit, no longer is.
A family that was once united in the love of Christ is now divorced.
A life that was once “on fire for God” is a cold, alone ember.
And a lot of those flights with Jesus are just short hops.
So allow Jesus to turn off the “seatbelt” sign in the cabin of your life.
And Get in that window seat. Get in that right position with the Lord.
Ask Him to unstrap you from the constraints of your limited view of life.
Ask Him to show you how beautiful the landscape of your life is to Him.
Ask Him to take your breath away as He uses YOU as a POWERFUL display of His creation.
Jump on board that intercontinental nonstop flight with Jesus.
It’s a journey of a lifetime. You will be overjoyed with awe.
Jesus is waiting for you. He just needs your boarding pass.
And I think it’s a window seat.
PRAY FOR: Craig and Shelly as they finalize their decision of whether or not to run in 2012.
PRAY FOR: Vision and direction for Craig, Shelly and Evan as they put together a team of warriors (pastors, business, education and gov’t leaders).
PRAY FOR: Design and format for future website highlighting outreach events that churches throughout the South Bay can participate in.
I need your input. Please email me shellynotw@gmail.com