One Degree Off Course

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

For every degree a plane flies off course, it will miss the target by 92 feet. That’s about one mile for every mile flown. After traveling 53 miles, the plane will be a mile off course. Over time, the gap will increase. On a flight from New York City to Los Angeles, the plane would be over 40 miles off course.

Fortunately airplanes have computer systems on board that help the pilot to make corrections in their course. A good pilot learns to steer the plane back in the right direction when he has strayed from the route.

The pilot knows the starting point, the goal, and the flight plan. By reading his instrument panel, he knows when he gets off-course and he knows what to do to get back on the path. His chief goal is to get to his destination safely.

We each have a God-given purpose and a primary aim to please Him.

Therefore we make it our aim…to be well pleasing to Him. 2 Corinthians 5:9

God has created us with a personality, spiritual gifts, passions, and talents to be used to glorify him and serve others. Like pilots, we also often veer off course. We don’t always make the decisions that will keep us on the path God has designed for us. Imagine how far off we might be from our God-given purpose if we consistently veer off course one degree at a time!

Whatever our starting point in our journey, our goal is to live a Christ-filled life and to follow the plan in his word, the Bible. God seeks us out when we stray. When we get off-course, he gently steers us back.

Any action that even in the slightest degree diverts us from our primary goal of being “approved to God” (2 Timothy 2:15) needs a course correction.

Let’s learn to follow his flight plan.