American Missionary Fellowship

After we got off the airplane, we were asked by reporters what took place. It was very interesting to watch how people handled the news media. There were some – one in particular, a man named Earl – who were very calm. . . but there were several other interviews I watched on the same incident, of people who were very peripherally involved but seemed to have more knowledge than Earl and the rest of us who were actually part of the incident.

Saturday I was flying to Las Vegas to speak at South Hills Church, a great young church plant with exciting ties to American Missionary Fellowship. The airline had upgraded me to first class, and about halfway through the flight from Washington to Las Vegas, a young man ran down the aisle and tried to open the exit door to the plane before a group of us, led by one particular man, subdued him.

Because I travel so much I tend to observe some things that might be applied to the average traveler. One such thing is how much effort it takes to bring a plane to a gate, followed by all the activities necessary to have that plane back in the air again very quickly.

My understanding is that it takes about forty-five minutes for United Airlines to make that transition. That time includes unloading and loading the baggage, fueling, draining the airplane’s lavatories, the pilots’ post- and pre-flight checks, the flight attendants’ preparations, the security checks, the safety checks – a good number of people work on those details in order to turn around the plane as quickly as possible. In fact, they turn it around faster than the plane gets up in the air. Their efficiency determines how profitable the airline is.

I was preaching last week, and I was on that verse in Exodus that talks about God punishing disobedience to the third and fourth generation. I began to think about the opposite kind of legacy that my family and RobAnne’s family have given us – a legacy of hope, faith, peace, and security.

I was reading the 23rd Psalm this morning. It’s so familiar, but I got stuck on the first verse: “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.” I began to think about how the Creator of the universe – my Maker, the Person who formed me – is my Shepherd. He views me as part of His flock. He cares for me, He protects me, He directs me, He is there when I sleep, and He stays with me because He is my Shepherd.