Friday, November 12, 2010

A MATTER OF TRUST
(orignally written Saturday, November 6th @ 35,000 feet)


Thirty-five thousand feet.

Pretty amazing when you think about it--the amount of confidence and trust we place in a large, hollow piece of steel tubing-- traveling through space at approximately 500 miles per hour.

As I sit here tightly wedged into my tiny window seat I think about the pilot. I prayed fervently for him just a few minutes ago. While I've never met him, nor seen him, I am trusting he will land this plane safely in New Orleans in two hours and fifty minutes.

I am trusting this plane as well. Seems like it's running smoothly. Everything looks in good repair--at least to my non-mechanical eye.

The skies are clear blue--no turbulence at present. I am feeling a great sense of calmness and peacefulness as I happily travel along.

The fact that everything could change in a moment--in a twinkling of an eye does not escape me.

~~What if I chose not to trust the pilot?
~~What if he partied his way through pilot school?
~~What if he is a morally corrupt man with poor decision making skills?
~~What if this is a defective plane?
~~What if the maintenance guys are not very smart people?
~~What if terrorist are on board?

Questions such as these bring me nothing but torment. I choose not to have them.

Today--just for today--this moment really--I choose to trust. Trust the pilot, trust the plane, trust the weather.

More importantly I choose to trust Jesus. He is my only confidence. Without Him, trust, confidence, faith in anything or anyone is impossible--non-existent.

Trust has has not always been easy for me. From childhood and well into my life as a believer I have dealt with issues of trust in one form or another.
But...I have learned to trust.

It's one thing to trust Jesus as your personal savior--it's another thing to trust Him moment to moment each and every day of your life--with your mind, will, thoughts, emotions, loved ones and day to day occurrences.

When I ponder these thoughts the hymn "I surrender all" takes on new meaning.

We'll be landing in New Orleans in a few minutes. Turns out we had turbulence after all. Both on the plane and while on vacation in New York. Turbulent times await us back home as well.

I have a plan though.

Just keep trusting--
Jesus.

10 comments:

riddhiculous said...

ohhh ..tust one of the most amazing things created by god isnt it. loved it..I remember my school motto used to be "trust thyself" .. and that si the first step..
will keep trusting.. thnks

Finding Pam said...

I trust in my Lord and Savior. When I fly I know that if something happens I will have my heavenly home to go to.

Like you, I have trust issues. I hope your trip was good. Where did you go? You hinted at some turbelence at home? I hope all will be well for you and yours.

I love "I Surrender".

Peace and blessings be with you.
Pam

Donna said...

Hi, Debra,
What a great, great post. I have those same feelings when I step on a plane, as I don't like to fly.
You said this beautifully.
D

http://bitsandpieces-sonja.blogspot.com/ said...

you said it so well Debra! We all need the reminder even though in our hearts we KNOW there is no safer place to be than trusting Jesus.

Good post my friend.

Beth Herring said...

Hey Debra - I almost didn't read this because I HATE to fly and I will be flying in January on our mission trip! I was afraid this post was about crashing and I just couldn't bear the thought! Ha!

I live in Louisiana also, but in the very NE corner!

Grayquill said...

The just shall live by faith....
Nice post.

Kathryn Magendie said...

Gawd, I know these feelings - I've had to fly much more often than I ever have before and though it gets a little easier, I'm still not a happy flyer!

Glad you are back home safe and hope the Turbulent Times will be resolved in a wonderful way.

j said...

I love those fairly common events that make us reflect on our walk with the Lord.

Pat said...

It's wonderful how you have taken every day living and given such a wonderful example of trust. I don't fly much, but the last flight I took in October, I felt nothing but peace. Growing in trust in the Lord is such a wonder gift. He alone holds our future!

Deborah Ann said...

I try to think positively on an airplane. I reason that if the plane crashes I will be with Jesus in a heartbeat. I reason that if I have to go, then this is one heck of a way to go! Oh yes, Debra. It helps to be a crazy woman...