Table Talk Newsletter
Pastor’s Letter
Grace and peace to you in the name of our risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
In August, the Gospel text has been from Matthew. In a couple of Sunday readings, Jesus and the disciples have been in conversation about who Jesus is. For example, Jesus asks the disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” Jesus also asks them, “Who do you say that I am?”
Pause for a moment and think about how you might answer those questions.
With the readings from Matthew, I am reminded of a bumper sticker that used to be popular with some folks, “God is my copilot.”
When I was in a Bible study some years ago, this idea, “God is my copilot,” came up. Some liked it, some had an uneasiness with it. As the conversation unfolded and people shared their ideas, some proposed that God is, or should be, more of our “pilot,” and we should rely on God to be our pilot for our journey. In other words, we are not in control, but God is. Our discussion continued about the copilot and pilot relationship concept and what it means for God to be our pilot or copilot.
One of the women in the group who had been sitting quietly but taking in all that was being shared said, “God created the universe, God so loved the cosmos, as we read in John 3:16, God created us in God’s image & created us with free will. I believe God created us with an ability to choose – choose to love God or deny God, choose to love another and all creation or despise and hate on another. I don’t know all that much about pilot and copilot stuff, nor about airports, but maybe another way to look at this relationship is that God is the air traffic controller.” She continued, “Is not a better analogy that we are indeed the pilot, we pilot our journey through life with a degree of control in the direction we go? God is not really the pilot in total control, or copilot at all.
Maybe a better analogy is that God is the air traffic controller. God watches out for us, guides us, directs us, supports us, encourages us with a commanding yet loving voice.”After a bit of a pause, she continued, “God is concerned for our safety and the safety of all who are piloting. We can choose to follow God’s life-giving, life-sustaining council, or we can disregard it. Following in God’s way leads to a life of wholeness and well-being.”
Now all analogies breakdown at some point if you carry them too far. But what do you think of that perspective? Maybe there are parts you agree with, maybe some you disagree with?
Who do you say Jesus is? That is something to ponder. I, of course, cannot answer the question for you. Oh, I could give you a bunch of words about who I think Jesus is for the world and what Jesus means in my life, but at the end of the day, they are hollow words unless they mean something to you and how you are living into the words you profess.
May God continue to bless you as you grow in understanding of God’s love shown to us in Christ Jesus. AMEN.
Shalom, Salam, Peace,
Pastor Raymond