Thursday, July 5, 2018
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The passengers were there and the plane was there, but our plane wasn't taking off that day. Oh, it was time, but we were still sitting in the flight lounge, and there were not many smiles that day. Then we finally found out what we were waiting for - our pilot wasn't there. See, his earlier flight was delayed and he hadn't landed yet. So even though we all had to get somewhere, our pilot was flying somewhere else when we needed him.
Well I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "No Pilot, No Progress."
Our word for today from the Word of God comes from the Old Testament account of the life of a spiritual leader named Eli and in 1 Samuel 2:12, it says of this man with great responsibility, "Eli's sons were wicked men: they had no regard for the Lord." Later in verse 22 it says, "Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. So he said to them, 'Why do you do such things? I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours. Ho, my sons: it is not a good report that I hear spreading among the Lord's people.'"
And yet, even though he rebuked them, he did nothing to stop them. So later on in verse 34 God comes along and says, "What happens to your two sons will be a sign to you, they will both die on the same day and I will raise up for myself a faithful priest." It's a tragic story. You've got a successful man whose family fell apart. Boy, that's been repeated a lot of times hasn't it.
It's easy to reach the whole world and lose your own. To impress the whole world, but maybe not be a hero to your own family. Apparently, Eli had neglected these boys because they grew up not caring much about what he cared about. You see a lot of families have a dad or mom and the kids really need that pilot to be there; but he or she is flying somewhere else or something else. Your kids really need dad, they really need mom.
Mom and dad can get increasingly consumed, though, by demands outside of the home. Dad gets lost in his business - the kids just get lost. There was an old song years ago, "cats in the cradle and the silver spoon" about a busy dad, and he says, "we'll get together then son. I know we'll have a good time then." And when his son grows up, his son has no time for him. Oh, dad's busy flying his career or maybe some other outside interest and the family meanwhile is without a pilot.
Someone else can be president, someone else can be the foreman, someone else can be whatever title you have, whatever outside the family position you might have acquired, but there's only one dad, there's only one husband for that wife. It can happen to a mom too. Especially if she believes the lie that has destroyed our men's health and relationships over these years - that it's working that gives you worth. That winning and worldly achievement is what gives you worth. That thing has been killing men for years, and now sadly it's killing too many women. Some may have to work, but not to get worth. You can't get it that way. A lot of women are chasing the same success phantom that their men have been fooled by for so long.
See, that other focus that might be occupying you right now could be Christian work. You're overcommitted. Maybe it's a hobby or recreation. Maybe it's just the Internet. But the pilot belongs first at the controls of his or her plane, and that's your family. Could it be that your mate, could it be that your son or daughter, maybe they're drifting because their pilot is flying somewhere else or something else?
Give your family your best, not your leftovers. If you'll pilot your family first, I think God's going to bless you with friendly skies.