"It was my friend Joe. My old friend."

A thought by Max Lucado from his book, Before Amen: The Power of a Simple Prayer (p. 21). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

I have a very good friend whose father was also a good friend of my dad.  Last week when my friend Darrel’s dad, Boyd was getting ready to take his trip to the other side Boyd said he saw Ivan, my dad who is already in heaven.  My dad was reaching out to his good friend, Boyd.     

Max tells his story, “As I boarded a plane last week, the pilot called my name. He was standing in the cockpit entrance, greeting passengers. ‘Well, hello, Max.’ I looked up. It was my friend Joe. My old friend. He is the Methuselah of the airways. He’s been flying forever. He flew transports in Vietnam and has logged a bookful of hours as a commercial pilot. He’s faced every flight crisis from electrical storms to empty fuel tanks. He is a good pilot.

“And he is a friend, a good friend. He’s not my neighbor, but if he were, our property value would increase. If I were in the hospital, he’d keep a bedside vigil. If I were on vacation, he’d keep my dog. If I offended him, he’d keep his cool until we could talk it through. He could no more tell a lie than a mosquito could sing the national anthem. He never swears, gets drunk, cheats, or swindles. He is that good. He is good—good in skill and good in heart.

“We chatted for a few minutes, and I went to my seat with a sense of assurance. What more could I request? I thought. The pilot is experienced and proven. Even more, he is my tried-and-true friend. I am in good hands.

“The knowledge came in handy. An hour into the flight we hit a wall of winds. People gasped, dentures rattled, and the attendant told us to check our seat belts and rosary beads. I’ve had smoother roller coaster rides. Unlike the other passengers, however, I stayed calm. I didn’t have a death wish, but I had an advantage. I knew the pilot. I knew Joe. I knew his heart and trusted his skill. Joe can handle this, I told myself. The storm was bad, but the pilot was good. So as much as one can relax in a squall, I did.”

Max then says, “Friend, it’s a stormy world out there. Every day brings turbulence. Moody economy. Aging bodies. Declining job market. Increasing street violence. The question during these troubling times is this: Do we have a good pilot? The resounding response of the Bible is yes!

Max says, “God’s goodness is a major headline in the Bible. I think I know why. If God were only mighty, we would salute him. But since he is merciful and mighty, we can approach him. No wonder the psalmist invited, ‘Taste and see that the LORD is good’ (Ps. 34:8 NLT). A glimpse of God’s goodness changes us.

He goes on, “God’s unrivaled goodness undergirds everything else we can say about prayer. If he is like us, only slightly stronger, then why pray? If he grows weary, then why pray? If he has limitations, questions, and hesitations, then you might as well pray to the Wizard of Oz.

“However, if God is at once Father and Creator, holy—unlike us—and high above us, then we at any point are only a prayer away from help.”

Max says, “Is your world different because you prayed? In one sense, no. Wars still rage, traffic still clogs, and heartbreakers still roam the planet. But you are different. You have peace. You’ve spent time with the Pilot. And the Pilot is up to the task.”

So, do you have a relationship with God, the Pilot?  Is he your good friend?  Do you realize he is up to the task of whatever is happening in your life?

Yes, yes he is!