Years
ago, I attended a tedious and boring conference which I was delighted to see
come to an end. I was ready to get back
home; but, as bad luck would have it, my flight was delayed for a couple of
hours as we waited for violent thunderstorms to subside. The airline had loaded passengers on the
plane just as the storms blew in, so we were in tight, cramped space. There wasn’t an empty seat. No air was circulating. Tensions rose. We were all trying to grin and bear it, but some
of us were losing the little bit of patience we had left.
ago, I attended a tedious and boring conference which I was delighted to see
come to an end. I was ready to get back
home; but, as bad luck would have it, my flight was delayed for a couple of
hours as we waited for violent thunderstorms to subside. The airline had loaded passengers on the
plane just as the storms blew in, so we were in tight, cramped space. There wasn’t an empty seat. No air was circulating. Tensions rose. We were all trying to grin and bear it, but some
of us were losing the little bit of patience we had left.
Just as we were finally cleared to leave the gate,
regulations made it necessary for there to be a change in crew. We waited still longer while one set of
pilots and attendants left the plane and a new set came on board. Eventually, one of the new attendants took
the microphone and went—again; we’d heard it hours ago—through the standard set
of instructions about seat belts, seat backs, tray tables, exits and oxygen
masks. At the end, she said, “Again,
ladies and gentlemen, we welcome you aboard flight. . . .” She paused; then,
she put the microphone to her chest, and turned to another attendant to ask
what flight we were one. The second
attendant shrugged her shoulders in puzzlement.
Finally, the first attendant spoke again: “You are on flight ‘I’m not
sure” going to “I don’t know.’ We hope
you enjoy your flight.’”
regulations made it necessary for there to be a change in crew. We waited still longer while one set of
pilots and attendants left the plane and a new set came on board. Eventually, one of the new attendants took
the microphone and went—again; we’d heard it hours ago—through the standard set
of instructions about seat belts, seat backs, tray tables, exits and oxygen
masks. At the end, she said, “Again,
ladies and gentlemen, we welcome you aboard flight. . . .” She paused; then,
she put the microphone to her chest, and turned to another attendant to ask
what flight we were one. The second
attendant shrugged her shoulders in puzzlement.
Finally, the first attendant spoke again: “You are on flight ‘I’m not
sure” going to “I don’t know.’ We hope
you enjoy your flight.’”
A
lot of us feel that way about our lives.
We’re not sure where we’re headed; we aren’t clear about the
destination. Even those of us who have
signed-up to journey in the company of Jesus sometimes seem uncertain about
where we’re going and why.
lot of us feel that way about our lives.
We’re not sure where we’re headed; we aren’t clear about the
destination. Even those of us who have
signed-up to journey in the company of Jesus sometimes seem uncertain about
where we’re going and why.
My
reading of the New Testament tells that followers of Jesus are headed into life
as God means it to be. Our destination—our
destiny, really—is to become our authentic selves by becoming like Jesus. We’re soaring into Christ-likeness and rising
to our full potential on the wings of the Holy Spirit.
reading of the New Testament tells that followers of Jesus are headed into life
as God means it to be. Our destination—our
destiny, really—is to become our authentic selves by becoming like Jesus. We’re soaring into Christ-likeness and rising
to our full potential on the wings of the Holy Spirit.
It’s
a long, a lifelong, journey. From a
Christian perspective, we’re “human becomings” more than we are human beings. We
don’t quickly develop Jesus-ways of thinking, feeling, and living. It takes
time; it’s a process. 16th
century reformer Martin Luther said:
a long, a lifelong, journey. From a
Christian perspective, we’re “human becomings” more than we are human beings. We
don’t quickly develop Jesus-ways of thinking, feeling, and living. It takes
time; it’s a process. 16th
century reformer Martin Luther said:
This life therefore is not righteousness,
but growth in righteousness; not health but healing; not being but becoming . .
. We are not yet what we shall be but we
are growing toward it. The process is
not yet finished but it is going on.
This is not the end, but it is the road.
but growth in righteousness; not health but healing; not being but becoming . .
. We are not yet what we shall be but we
are growing toward it. The process is
not yet finished but it is going on.
This is not the end, but it is the road.
We’re
on our way, growing into Jesus and into our truest and deepest selves.
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