Chill Pill

John 16:³³ “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” [NIV, with emphasis]

I have had to travel by air a number of times and in this short period I have seen some turbulence, but nothing like what I experienced on one particular flight – and, I have not seen a storm like it till this very day. The pilots described what we faced as a “lightning mine”. We could literally see the lightning miss the wing of the aircraft by inches. And sometimes the plane would be in free fall for about twenty seconds. It was a terrible experience.

While waiting in the lounge for this particular flight, I had noticed some men who were drinking champagne and they had this chip on their shoulders. But during the storm, everybody was shouting “Jesus”. Everybody was praying, praising and worshipping. Even the ladies cast off all restraints and were screaming hallelujah at the top of their voices. Honestly, nobody was sure of coming out of that plane alive.

While all that was going on, I turned my focus to God and I was asking, “Lord, is this it? Am I coming home?” I was focused on discerning God’s mind and hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit. Miraculously, we landed in Togo and stayed there for about six hours. When we eventually got to Lagos, there was serious jubilation and choruses of hallelujah ringing from the front to the back of the plane.

Apparently my friend’s younger brother was on the same flight, a few seats behind me. I did not see him but he had spotted me. He told his brother that during the crisis, he was confident that if this man is on this airplane, then it is not going down. His confidence was in a fallible man, ordinary flesh and blood. Imagine if his confidence had been in Jesus, because I too was looking to Jesus. People lose their composure when faced with death.

Isaiah 43:¹ “…the One who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. ² When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.”

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I will not put my confidence in man. I will hinge my confidence in You alone and trust You to save me from all tribulation, in Jesus Name. Amen!