We recently received some news that both makes us happy and intrigued and at the same time, we realize that we have a note of fear about it. Several important people in our family have long distance travel plans in the coming new year. One will be going to Brazil, traveling alone without family along. When we hear of the political situations in other parts of South America, [we know/realize] that we never know when circumstances can or will change. We look forward to hearing about travel adventures but at the same time, we will be asking God to send some angel travel buddies to go, to fly along for protection on each mile of travel. Travel to Brazil is for the purpose of God’s business so we have faith that there will be no problems.
There is more travel ahead for others in our family. They have accepted a call to go on a mission trip to India. It is an academy mission trip during spring break, and our very own family group will have two of the adult sponsors and one student and one young helper that will be making this trip. They have been busy asking for support for this trip and have nearly reached the first part of their goal. We know that God will bless them to reach their financial goals, that He will bless their witness in another part of the world, that they too will travel safely. This is a very long trip. The distance is nearly 11,600 miles. To make it easier, they plan to have an overnight layover. If they could not do that, imagine spending 18-25 hours in your seat on a plane! I know that my seat would get tired of me sitting in it. Or to put it another way, my sitter-downer would get tired of sitting in my seat for that long! At any rate, we will be praying for this long trip on a transportation form that is very safe but still can have something go tragically wrong. Once again, we will be praying for guardian angels to travel with this group. We will pray for the blessings they will bring to a group in India that needs to see God’s care and love in action. And we will be anxious to hear of their experiences and see their pictures of a place that we will never see.
The academy student that will be part of this group going to India is our grandson! I remember back to many years ago when he was born. I had been convinced that I would never want my feet to leave the ground. I never ever had been on a roller coaster! And I never planned to be. My feet would have been off the ground. For the same reason, I will never go on any other amusement park ride that takes my feet off the ground—my exception is a ferris wheel! I will never bungee jump, I will never sky dive! There are other “I will nevers”, also! I said for years—I won’t ever leave the ground by way of an airplane! I was 100% positive about that. My fear was real! Very real! Yes, I trusted God and His care, I didn’t trust the plane and the science that said a plane could fly. I had taken a physics class and sensible physic facts made no sense in my mind if it involved me. I had FEAR!
A tiny little baby boy entered our lives but at a great distance from us. There was no way we could take a road trip to see the first days of this little one’s life. And then came the request that Grandma come to see him. And then came the offer of a free ticket! Oh!!!!!!! I wanted to but I didn’t want to! I wanted to say no, but I also wanted to say…….yes? My heart was torn. What to do? In the end my decision was a very hesitant, worried, and full of fear decision. Yes, I’ll come! Part of the fear was this was something that I was going to have to do alone, all by myself. All by myself with absolutely no idea of what to expect during any part of a flight. I only knew about being in the lobby areas of a terminal building when observing planes coming and going as I watched from the windows. Things like baggage check, concourse, baggage claim, TSA, flight number, check-in, ramps and aprons, taxiways, security, jet bridges… I pretty much knew nothing of what to expect. I suppose I got initiated in a good way as I had a ticket from a larger small terminal. Not too scary for a 1st timer given that I was pretty scared! I had a window seat that served to distract me somewhat. Watching below was interesting and mystifying. I couldn’t identify anything that I thought I should have been able to identify. I have traveled enough to know how I-80 should look and I thought I should be able to identify Nebraska’s large Lake McConahay. I got nothing! One of the most interesting things was the irrigation crop circles in Colorado. I saw things within the circles that seemed mysterious to me. At first, all seemed way easier up in the air than I expected until—we were to land at the Denver airport. I can assure you I did not enjoy the air currents that are around a mountain range. I thought I needed a hand to hold or grab. I was positive a crash was in my future. The next distressful and fearful thing was that I was told that my next plane was taking off in 3 minutes and I was just getting off the first plane! And I had no idea where I needed to be!!! Yup! the fear kept right on increasing. I did finally arrive, still fearful but realizing I was alive! I survived my feet being off the ground!
This week I read a “one liner” joke—”Great grandfather rode a horse, but wouldn’t go near a train. Grandpa rode on trains, but was afraid of automobiles. Pop drove a car, but was afraid to fly. I love to fly, but I’m afraid to ride a horse!” It seems that someone told a joke about me! While I don’t love flying, after doing it several more times, I can say I fit the afraid to ride a horse phrase. I have done that too, but it certainly isn’t my favorite thing to do! A thought for overcoming fears, such as the fear of specific modes of transport (horses, trains, cars, flying), should be centered on trusting in God’s supreme power and presence rather than in human strength or technology. The heart of the message for me should be shifting my reliance from earthly things to depending on God’s guidance and protection.
The Bible often contrasts human sources of security with the steadfastness of faith in God. In ancient times, horses and chariots were symbols of military might and human power. David wrote, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:7, NIV). That means trusting the Unseen Pilot. In our modern world, fast cars, trains, and airplanes are our “chariots.” These technologies are blessings of ingenuity but can also be sources of anxiety when we focus on the potential for failure rather than on the One who created all things and sustains the universe. Our fear can be a spiritual opportunity to shift our reliance from human technology and skill to divine guidance. I guess David was writing about people like me! I need to take these thoughts on fear as guides during fearful times.
Fear (like a horse’s instinct to run from a plastic bag) is often a natural self-preservation instinct and response. However, God’s desire is for us to have courage derived from the knowledge that He is in control, not our circumstances. Avoidance may feel good temporarily, but facing fears with God’s help is how we grow in faith.
When you feel anxiety rising during travel, consider where your gaze and focus lie. Are you looking at the potential for danger, or are you looking to God as your refuge and strength? A horse looks to its leader for safety; similarly, we should look to God when we feel scared, allowing Him to calm our “herd instincts” of panic.
Our thoughts often run like an unbridled horse or a runaway train. We must use the “reins of the mind” to direct our thoughts. Choose to dwell on thoughts of truth, hope, and the promises of God, allowing Jesus to be the driver of your “train of thought”. Most fear comes from worrying about future possibilities. God promises to be with you in the present moment, helping you carry today’s burdens today. Focus on His presence now—in your present. These fears, while concerning, can serve as reminders to place our ultimate faith in God rather than relying on our own strength or the perceived safety of modern transportation.
Here is a prayer for times of fear and anxiety—Heavenly Father, I confess my fears to You. I often place my trust in the perceived safety of my surroundings or the reliability of technology, rather than in Your unfailing protection. Help me to remember that while some trust in horses and chariots, my hope is in You alone. Drive away my anxiety with Your perfect love and give me the courage to trust You in all my journeys. Amen
A “fight or flight” system sometimes triggers in situations we perceive as beyond our control, such as being in a fast-moving vehicle or in the air. In the Bible, horses and chariots were symbols of military might and human strength, yet scripture often warns against trusting solely in them.
I discovered some Key Principles for surviving fear: Faith doesn’t eliminate fear, but it should prevent fear from paralyzing me. Everyone should acknowledge the feeling of anxiety and consciously choose to place your confidence, your faith in God’s care. Much fear is rooted in worrying about future “what-if” things. I need to discipline my mind to stay in the present moment, where God has promised to walk closely with me and help me carry my burdens.
The Bible gives me stories of God’s protection in seemingly overwhelming situations. When Elisha’s servant was afraid of the enemy army with horses and chariots, Elisha prayed for his eyes to be opened to see the mountain full of God’s own horses and chariots of fire all around them (2 Kings 6:15-17). Like, in this story we all are surrounded by God’s protective presence even when we don’t see it. I am not alone!!!!!!
Much of my fear of air travel comes from a lack of control. Giving up the need to be in charge and surrendering the journey to God can bring me peace. As God reveals your fears, soak in His love and grace. 1 John 4:18 reminds me that “perfect love casts away fear”.
During this time of year, we think about the Bible story of Jesus Birth. One of the first things is the story of Joseph needing to travel to his ancestral home. I decided to insert the word flight for travel in the various parts of this familiar story. In a way they took flight to Bethlehem from Nazareth just before the birth. The shepherds flew into the village to see the new baby. The Wise Men had a long journey-flight to find the new-born king. Later, Jesus’ family’s “flight” to Egypt wasn’t a modern airplane trip but a desperate, nighttime escape by donkey from King Herod’s order to kill baby boys in Bethlehem, from the Book of Matthew. An angel warned Joseph in a dream, prompting them to flee/fly to safety in Egypt, where they stayed until Herod died, fulfilling an Old Testament prophecy [see Matthew 2:15 and Hosea 11:1]. Their “flight” was a difficult, ground-based journey fleeing persecution, not a modern flight, guided by divine instruction to protect the infant Jesus from King Herod’s decree, as told in Matthew 2:13-23. Nevertheless, to them, their flight may have been just as scary for them as my flight was for me.
Who is the driver of your life? Are you trying to control the “five sense-horses” and the carriage of your life and by piloting your flight by yourself, or have you handed the reins and control, the plane yoke over to God, trusting His direction and destination? Let these fears remind you to lean into God’s presence, for He is a trustworthy and capable guide on any journey, whether on a horse, a train, in a car, or flying high above the clouds.
Carrying the weight of ‘yesterday’ prevents flight. One cannot walk into the future while looking backward. The only thing you can change about your past is how you let it affect your now. If I had never given up my determination to never get my feet off the ground, then I would have missed out on seeing my first grand baby as a newborn, I would have missed several chances to travel to see family in Oregon and Washington. I would have missed out on seeing a part of a country in Europe. I would have missed out on seeing what our world looks like from 3 miles up. I had settled into my first flight and was “enjoying” the view and then the captain announced that we had attained cruising altitude of 16,000 feet! Some quick head math let me realize that I was 3 miles high up over the earth! I immediately wished that I didn’t know that fact! On the other hand, I expect to take a trip someday that will get me much higher than that! “Travel to heaven” is a spiritual journey/fight achieved through God’s grace and faith in Jesus Christ, not a physical trip with a monetary cost. The “cost” to the traveler involves a commitment to a life of faith, repentance, and obedience, while the ultimate price was paid by Jesus’ sacrifice. How can I “Travel” to Heaven? The path to heaven, often described as entering through a “narrow gate,” involves specific spiritual conditions. First, believe that Jesus is the Son of God, who died for the sins of humanity and was raised from the dead, is the core requirement. Second, Repentance involves turning away from sin and worldly pursuits, which is a continuous, lifelong process. Then, salvation and entry into heaven are considered a free gift of God’s grace, not something that can be earned through good works, money, or personal merit. Lastly, living a life of obedience that aims to please God and grow in holiness is evidence of genuine faith. The flight to Heaven cannot be purchased with money or good deeds; the admission price ticket has already been paid by Jesus Christ’s blood and sacrifice on the cross. The “cost” for the believer is the sacrifice of one’s sinful inclinations and worldly attachments, as these can be a hindrance on the spiritual journey and flight. It will require my wholehearted commitment to following Christ, which may involve enduring hardships or persecution for my faith.
The Second Coming of Christ is a key event of flights to and from earth!!! I wonder what I will see on the way. Will there be landmarks that I recognize? Will my captain point out the different waymarks on the way? Will we pass by a planet or two? Will we exit our Milky Way and enter a new galaxy and which one will it be? Will we travel through Orion? Oh, I have questions for sure!
That’s the Flight I am most looking forward to!!!