Flight Rules (#247 of 365+)

“To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7)


Joni talked about a conversation she once had with a pilot about the difference between landing an airplane using Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) and Visual Flight Rules (VFR). When conditions are cloudy or foggy and it blocks the pilot’s line-of-sight to the landing strip, he is flying completely blind and is forced to rely on IFR—by paying close attention to instrument panel readings and communicating with Air Traffic Control. However, on sunny days when visibility is clear he won’t pay such close attention to the instrument panels anymore. He’ll go by VFR—using his natural sight and years of experience—which doesn’t always make for a smooth landing.

In today’s verse, the apostle Paul admitted it was possible that he could become a little cocky. He had received a unique calling upon his life, wonderful insight into eternal truths, and abundant fruit from all his labor. If he started to fall into a false mindset of self-assurance because of all his accomplishments he would be flying by sight instead of by faith. So the Lord put clouds on the forecast for the good of the mission and to teach Paul a lesson in humility... The majority of our Spirit-breathed New Testament was written by Paul’s own hand. I shudder to think of the impact it would have had upon modern-day Christianity, two thousand years later, if he had become a proud, self-satisfied man and stopped relying on daily prayer, worship, and the study of scriptures to keep him on the course of God’s will for his life.

Lord, may my commitment to a daily devotional time keep me on an even keel and remind me that I would be going nowhere without your grace and life. Amen.