Romans 8:6b
...the mind contolled by the Spirit is life and peace.

Do you remember back when someone penned the phrase "God is my co-pilot?" People thought it was brilliant and so they made bumper stickers and pens and pins and anything else that could hold the phrase. Of course, it wasn't long until someone figured out that God wasn't supposed to be a co-pilot and so they re-did it as "God is my pilot," which meant more stickers and pens and pins and anything else that could hold the new, more brilliant, phrase. It always makes me wonder if the same person did both and knew that he could make twice as much cash by going in that order. Anyway, on to what matters...

I made a discovery last week as Wendy and I were flying to New York for 3 nights and 4 days of childless bliss. I looked out the aiplane window and saw nothing but white and, being the brilliant man I am, quickly realized that we were in the clouds. And that's when it hit me. The pilot up front couldn't see, either. Obviously the airline knew this would happen and so they had purchased an aircraft for the pilot to fly that was well-equipped with a full panel of instruments and radio contact with the air traffic controllers. As long as the pilot trusted those things, he'd get us through the clouds. But that begs the question, doesn't it? Is God really my pilot? Does He have to trust? Is He trying to find His way through the parts of my life that I get lost in? No. And so, once again, we've bought into a false bumper-sticker.

But, in hopes of correcting this travesty (and maybe getting rich off the bumper-stickers and pens and pins and anything else that can hold the phrase), I'm introducing the brand-new line of "God is my Air Traffic Controller" products. Sure you'll have to buy a bigger car to fit the sticker on the bumper and you may have to eat more so we can fit the words on the T-Shirt, but it'll be worth it to know that you're theologically correct, right? I mean, God is more like the air traffic controllers than the pilots. He isn't in the same circumstance you and I are. He is outside of it with a perspective that allows Him to see how all the things that are going on are going to work out. And when I let Him control me, I can have life and peace.

And, if I'm lucky, an extra bag of pretzels.