Weather permitting we have plans for me to go flying again for a check ride with an instructor after many years of not flying. It will be in a Cessna 172. Some family members will come along for the ride while I get a refresher course. I have a 17 year old granddaughter who is excited to come along. We are all looking forward to it. One thing I like about flying on a clear day is you get a beautiful, overall view of things. You are able to leave a lot of the gritty, grimy, chaotic details of life behind for a moment, and it is just you, God, your machine, and the beauty of the sky and the perfect looking earth. The higher you go the more perfect and pristine everything looks. When you get a ride in a jet liner, flying four or five miles high in the sky above any clouds, you really get an overall view. On the big boys I like to just sit by the window and see what I can see.
In the kingdom of God and the Body of Christ, it is important that we keep an overall view of the message and method of operation the Lord would have us to follow. Without the big picture in view, we tend to get off on a detail that will cause us to veer off the course the Lord has for us. The overall message and method of operation for the ministry of Jesus through his Body the Church is found in Luke 19:10; 3:4-5; 4:18-19; and Mark 1:14-15. The Lord tells us to “make his paths straight” or open our life, offering no hindrance, delay, or excuse, to allow the Lord to bring his working into our life to straighten things out that need to be straightened out. He says the time is now for us to be changing our mind (repent) to believe the good news that he is now here to bring us help, healing, deliverance, and blessing in every way. He has the Spirit of God upon him to do that. That is why he came. He came to seek and save the lost, to save those who need his help and healing. He came to bring down mountains, fill in valleys, make crooked places straight, and rough places smooth. He’s not talking about changing the landscaping of the earth. He has come to help us overcome obstacles, receive help for deficiencies, and get things back in order that are out of order by dispelling deception with truth. He has come to change our character that is “rough around the edges” to have his character living in us. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The same Spirit that was upon him in earthly ministry is to be upon us today in earthly ministry to bring about his overall plan to bring help, hope, and healing to all. This is his example, written, for us to follow.