If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to God. — Romans 14:8
I cringe at the thought of taking a long flight. That’s because I’m at the mercy of forces beyond my control. Bad weather, mechanical problems, busy airports, crew issues–these can result not just in delays but in missing connecting flights. My destination may be fun, but getting there isn’t.
Recently, when it looked like I was going to miss a connection, I noticed something that would have been unheard of a few years ago. On my airline app, it noted that there was a delay, and that I had free rebooking options. It showed later flights and the seating charts, so I could make alternative arrangements with just a few clicks.
It strikes me that this is quite a good analogy to the Christian life. “We belong to the Lord.” Things change beyond our control in life. But no matter, our faith opens our eyes to other options that we may not have seen. In disrupted schedules and unforeseen events, new people and possibilities emerge. We see, learn, and experience new things. And we ultimately discover that we have never really been in total control to begin with. Someone much greater, though, is.
There are always rebooking options. Sometimes that may even mean going to a different destination in order to get to our final one. And that’s OK.
Like a flight, we should have the grace to enjoy the things we discover on our journey. It definitely should not be focused on demanding that things operate on our schedule.