The Pilot
“Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.” Psalm 139.7-10
“Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.” Psalm 139.7-10
The confines of God’s providence may be viewed as either negative or positive. To the one seeking his own way, barriers and confines of any type will seem restrictive. To the one seeking companionship and comfort, the restrictions may seem more of a blessing than a bane.
Children seek these barriers. Some of the most frustrated (and frustrating) children are those whose parents offer no limitations and coddle them in their immaturity. Because these children have no boundaries, they test the waters of discipline only to find that they have no safe and secure harbor in which to dock. They have no guiding hand to lead them when they have difficulty finding purpose.
When I was in college, I had the opportunity to take a two-semester course called “Missionary Aviation.” It was sponsored by the American Christian Counseling Foundation, which was headed by one of my professors. Basically, the course was intended to teach a select group of students how to fly a private plane. Three hours were earned when ground school was completed and the written exam was passed. Another three hours were earned when the flight training was complete and the student had gained a VFR pilot’s license.
Part of the training included flying while using a “hood.” The hood was a plastic apparatus worn on one’s head to restrict the student’s ability to see anything except for the instruments. It simulated flying only by the instruments. Once donned, the student would attempt to right a plane in flight that had been put into a precarious attitude. Correction would be made by the student apart from “feeling” and specifically by what was showing on the instruments.
The flight instructor was not an enemy; he was a welcomed friend. The instruments were not restrictive; they made the difference between staying in the air and crash landing. The many hours of preparation were not burdensome; they offered the guidelines and instructions on how to interpret the raw data from the instrument panel. Many a pilot has crashed by acting on feeling and not trusting the instruments.
So many believe that God’s Word is restrictive; it is not. God’s Word is that which keeps us flying spiritually and keeping us from crashing into a world smeared with sin. Neither are the commandments of God limiting; His commandments keep us on course when the way doesn’t “feel” very good. In His love, God offers, written down in His Book, everything His child needs in order to soar, stay aloft and reach the desired port.
By kicking against the boundaries, we put ourselves outside of God’s guided protection and inside the possibility of great peril. Today, while we have opportunity, let us spend time in God’s Word as we submit ourselves to God’s leading – knowing that His way is perfect – and, His instruments are always true.
Children seek these barriers. Some of the most frustrated (and frustrating) children are those whose parents offer no limitations and coddle them in their immaturity. Because these children have no boundaries, they test the waters of discipline only to find that they have no safe and secure harbor in which to dock. They have no guiding hand to lead them when they have difficulty finding purpose.
When I was in college, I had the opportunity to take a two-semester course called “Missionary Aviation.” It was sponsored by the American Christian Counseling Foundation, which was headed by one of my professors. Basically, the course was intended to teach a select group of students how to fly a private plane. Three hours were earned when ground school was completed and the written exam was passed. Another three hours were earned when the flight training was complete and the student had gained a VFR pilot’s license.
Part of the training included flying while using a “hood.” The hood was a plastic apparatus worn on one’s head to restrict the student’s ability to see anything except for the instruments. It simulated flying only by the instruments. Once donned, the student would attempt to right a plane in flight that had been put into a precarious attitude. Correction would be made by the student apart from “feeling” and specifically by what was showing on the instruments.
The flight instructor was not an enemy; he was a welcomed friend. The instruments were not restrictive; they made the difference between staying in the air and crash landing. The many hours of preparation were not burdensome; they offered the guidelines and instructions on how to interpret the raw data from the instrument panel. Many a pilot has crashed by acting on feeling and not trusting the instruments.
So many believe that God’s Word is restrictive; it is not. God’s Word is that which keeps us flying spiritually and keeping us from crashing into a world smeared with sin. Neither are the commandments of God limiting; His commandments keep us on course when the way doesn’t “feel” very good. In His love, God offers, written down in His Book, everything His child needs in order to soar, stay aloft and reach the desired port.
By kicking against the boundaries, we put ourselves outside of God’s guided protection and inside the possibility of great peril. Today, while we have opportunity, let us spend time in God’s Word as we submit ourselves to God’s leading – knowing that His way is perfect – and, His instruments are always true.
Copyright © 2025 Dr. John H. Hill, All rights reserved.
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