The Unclaimed Gift: The Miracle of Flight

Psalm 71:18 "Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim Your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me."

Flying is one of those moments in life when you can see with great clarity the miracles God gives us. Think about it for a moment. We were not created with wings to rise above the ground. On our own we are bound to the earth, tethered to a round ball beneath an endless sky. We can look up but what we see is such a tiny fragment of the great beyond.

Yet, because someone dreamed a dream, set a goal, wished upon a star, asked God for a miracle, He planted in their mind the rules of physics that allow us to soar above the clouds. Their miracle became our miracle because His miracles are never meant to be hidden from view. They are always given to us so that we may share in the blessings they bring.

Looking down through the cottony billowing clouds, I am struck by how far removed from reality I feel. I know there are people down there, moving through their daily lives, completely unaware that I am flying over their heads. Moving rapidly from one point to another, I can feign innocence of what is going on below me. I can sit in my comfortable (ok that is a stretch) seat, staring out the window, waiting to get to my destination.

How often do we “fly” through life, staring out the window, oblivious to what is happening around us? We pack away our miracles, pack away our life experiences, pack away our knowledge and head out into our day. We move as quickly as possible through the inconveniences of security and ticketing to the moment when we can plug in our earphones and block out every annoyance.

But that’s not what God created us to do. At times He has called us to be the captain. More times than we like to admit, He only lets us be the co-captain or maybe even only the navigator. And even more often He created us to be the baggage handlers, the ticket takers, the security line, the flight attendants. He wants us to be involved with the process, get our hands dirty, take the complaints, and carry the luggage.

Sometimes we fly for business, sometimes for pleasure, sometimes for happy events, and sometimes for moments of deep sorrow. For whatever reason we fly above the clouds, we are doing so because of someone else’s miracle that they chose to share with us. God gives each of us miracles in our lives. These miracles may seem like just a job or just a school day or just a parenting moment but in God’s marvelous plan, they are miracles that let someone else soar through life.

Dearest Adonai, You are so generous with Your gifts. Your miracles allow us to reach heights never before reached and places never before seen. You have given us more than we ever deserve. Please help us to know that what we do is never unimportant. Someone in our day needs us. Even if it is just a smile as we move through yet another line. Thank You for all we are able to do through your miracles. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray these things, Amen

scriptures from NLT Bible