Back when I traveled by plane the first time, you could buy flight insurance in the terminal. A friend from seminary who gave me a ride to the airport bought a policy on me before I boarded. He bought it as a sick joke because he knew I was nervous.
I buckled my seat belt tightly and paid close attention to the stewardess as she gave instructions. I remember praying as the plane lifted off the runway, “God, you know me. I’m one of yours. I’m not one of those people who pray only when scared. I’m with you all the time. I can count on you to keep me safe now, can’t I?”
I’ve flown many times since that first trip from Louisville, Kentucky to Jackson, Mississippi. I still feel a little anxious during take-offs, but my prayer has changed over the years. Now the words of the Psalmist come to mind on every ascent: “I was glad when they said unto me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord!’” (Psalm 122:1)
Our lives are always in God’s hands. Flying doesn’t change anything, but take-offs have become an occasion for me to remember and acknowledge my dependence on God. Acknowledging my dependence upon God makes me a better person. I should fly more often.
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