You or God Who is Really In Control Here?

God most assuredly comes to many of us in times of critical need. I was an Air Traffic Controller for 10 years, and one of our monthly assignments was to listen to the transcripts and read the reports from NTSB [National Transportation Safety Board].

These were always the raw, unedited tapes of the cockpit and/or final pilot to controller conversations; not what is released to the public.
What always struck me most were the painful pleas and calls for mercy and the last minute cries for help from God. However, my general experience with both pilots and controllers was that were a group who felt most in control of their lives. Many did not seem to need God. Many I knew were not practicing Christians. I was guilty of the same lack of faith at that time in my life. I had been trained to rely on my knowledge and experience to get me out of any situation. I was an invincible pilot and controller. In short, an egomaniac that provided all the air under my wings that I needed.

Yet month after month I listened to these audio transcripts, an heard “cool”,” tough” “self-motivated”,” self actuated” people cry and plead for mercy from God. These were from what I could tell, people doing things their own way. Many of us are like that, our society teaches us to be independent, self motivated, and the makers of our own destiny. It is what we put on resumes if we want a strong leadership position. It made me start to wonder if there was something about God that people instinctively knew deep inside; or were driven to in time of great crisis. What could be a worse crisis as when you are spinning out of control and the ground is coming at you and you suddenly have no way to stop it.

I have two main impressions of those many tapes I listened to over the years:
One-- as Pastor Larry Thompson says , in times of deep trouble we seek first GOD. At the last minute we give in and say my life is no longer in my hands, I will ask God. Perhaps those folks are remembering a time from childhood where they sang a Gospel song; or a mother or Father or Sunday School teacher shared the power of God with them. I don’t know. Personally, I believe God instills His Spirit in the hearts of all and it is up to us to act on His desire to save each of us to be with Him for eternity. We have but to say a few words: Acts 16:31 “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household.”
John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except
through me.”

Two-- knowing the end is at hand we reach out to express the love that perhaps we could not fully express when we “Knew” We were in control. I have come to learn late in life that Love is so very important and the relationship of Love is linked with our Love for God. Matt 22:36- “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law. 37 Jesus replied,” Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind.38 this is the first and greatest commandment.39 And the second is like it:” Love your neighbor as yourself. 40 All the Law of the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Further, I Corinthians, “Three things will last forever--faith, hope, and love--and the greatest of these is love.”
I once listened as a Lear Jet captain fell from the sky unable to control his plane tumbling uncontrollably nose over tail above the Gulf of Mexico” Please, please God don’t let me go this way. Tell my Mom I love her and …..” end of tape.
Please don’t let your tape end this way. Acknowledge God now, and show the Love you feel deep in your heart to everyone you encounter, especially those in your close relationship circle, wife, children parents family members. Build Love relationships; not walls of Isolation.