Jesus is my Co-pilot (V1, Rotate)

There was a trend a few years back, where everyone seemed to be putting “God is my co-pilot” stickers on their cars (I always felt that if God actually got into my car, I’d have Him drive, but…).  You don’t see those much anymore, maybe God’s been relegated to the back seat? :)

My family thinks I’m a bit weird in that I like to watch TV programs about airplane crashes.  Not from a morbid point of view, it’s just interesting to learn what went wrong along the way, whether it was a mechanical issue or human error, which person did what that started a chain reaction that ended with a plane on the ground in a million pieces.

You learn a lot about aviation watching those programs.  One aspect I’m fascinated by is the interaction between the pilot and co-pilot, especially on takeoff and landing.  It’s not always the captain that’s in control on takeoff or landing, they take it in turns. One flies the plane and the other is responsible for communications and making sure things happen when they should.

As a plane is going down the runway, the communications officer will call out (at some point) “V1”.  V1 is a warning that means you have reached a velocity that requires the plane to take off, that you’re going too fast at that point to stop safely on the runway.  Shortly after that, they will call out “Rotate”.  Rotate is a call to action, the pilot flying the plane needs to lift the nose of the plane and get off the ground. 

I’ve started to see a parallel with this and my walk with God.  At birth, (if you are lucky) you are given the faith of your parents.  To varying degrees, you learn the faith from them, from your church, maybe your school, and from friends like you in your community.  This is like leaving the gate and taxiing down toward the runway. 

Most forms of Christianity have signposts along your journey (like the markers on the side of taxiways and runways):  Baptism, Sacraments, etc.  But, you control your journey:  how fast you go, or even if you leave the gate at all.  If you do choose to progress, at some point, you find yourself approaching the runway. 

And, this is something deeper than just a commitment to your faith, to your brand of Christianity and its rules.  This is you, deciding for yourself, that all that you’ve learned and experienced is real.  That gets you on the runway.

Runways are not parking lots, they are used to get going on a journey.  You’re not meant to stay there, you need to start moving toward that real God.

 

Jesus is in that cockpit with you.  You have the controls.  At some point, He’ll call out “V1”.  This is your flight, but there are no worries, you have the most experienced pilot ever next to you and He won’t let you fail. 

“Rotate”.

Isn’t the view from up here incredible? :)