Hello,

     I remember the first airplane flight I took. It was in 1981 and I was flying from Minneapolis to Pittsburgh to get married.  Having never flown before and not one who enjoys heights, I was a bit nervous.  I remember getting locked into my seat and listening with care as the flight attendant went through the safety instructions.  I remember taxi-ing to the runway, my heart beginning to beat a bit faster.  I remember with great clarity the engines throttling up and trusting us ever faster down the runway.  But most of all, I remember when the wings caught the air and we lifted off the ground, feeling every bump of turbulence on the takeoff, and certain that each bump was a sign of something wrong and that we would plunge back down to the ground.

     But no, off we sailed, and when we got up in the air I looked out my window in amazement.  Amazement at the small scale of everything on the ground.  Amazement at seeing clouds from the top-side rather than the underside. Amazement at the clarity of the air and the brightness of the sun’s light.  Amazement at being able to soar at speeds that would make my head turn. Amazement to be caught up in the wonder of flying.  I could have stayed up in the air for days.

     That was the first time that I flew, but now having flown a number of times some things have changed.  I don’t listen to the flight attendant’s safety instructions.  I don’t grab ahold of the armrests at take-off, and I don’t find myself caught up in the amazement of the things that I was amazed at on my first flight.  Now, I find myself impatiently waiting for us to reach our destination.  Flying now is all about getting somewhere.

     Living in the grace of God, I think, can have the same transition.  From amazement to just getting somewhere.  When one takes that first flight in the grace of God, it is easy to get caught up in amazement.  Amazement that God would so love a mere speck of his creation enough to send his Son so that God might have me forever.  Amazing! Amazement that God would so much love me that nothing in all of creation, not even me, could separate me from him.  Amazing! Amazement that even though I reoccuringly spit at God in the face, God forgives me…every time.  Amazing!

     But after soaring in the grace of God, it is easy to find one’s self merely focusing on getting somewhere…..heaven.  Perturbed by the turbulence of life.  Annoyed by those who travel alongside me.  Bothered by the delays and hoops to jump through.

     I was flying this weekend, and I don’t know why, but I found myself looking out my window, and I could feel amazement flutter through my soul….amazement over all those things that I encountered the first time I flew. And a wonderful thing happened. The bumps didn’t bother me, they were actually exciting.  I enjoyed the encounter with the people around me.  And the delays and security hoops were less aggravating.  Most of all, I found myself not preoccupied with impatience to get to my destination.

     As you get this Bungee Cord, let me invite you to look out the window of your life as you soar in the grace of God, and see the things that enveloped you in amazement when your flight began….the forgiveness, the awesome wonder, the unconditional love.  Take a look out the window, and see if the leg of the journey that you are flying today might be wonderfully different.  The bumps…the people….the time.  Oh, it is not that the eagerness to arrive at the journey’s end is any less pressing, but you just might discover that there is a lot to be amazed about along the way.

Have a great week.

God’s grace and peace, (ggap)

Pastor Jerry Nuernberger