An airline pilot or a ship’s captain will be aware of the danger of ‘cross-winds’ while piloting a craft across the skies or sea. It seems that our challenge as Jesus’ apprentices is a day by day consistent following of Jesus. By following Him step by step we are set on a life course! But within this course of life we may encounter deviations, emotions and little things in our lives that have a tendency to knock us off course by a degree or two.
Now, a degree may not at first appear much of a problem. But as an airline pilot confirmed, that every degree an aircraft flies off course means the craft will miss their target landing spot by 92 feet for every mile they fly. Apparently, that amounts to one mile off target for every sixty miles flown.
KEEPING IN STEP
The nature of a cross-wind is both a distraction and a cause of deviations as the wind blows perpendicular to the direction of travel or flow. It goes without saying that an experienced captain will know what to do in order to deal with this phenomenon. But how do we as believers recognise and know what action to take to avoid being distracted off course?
Paul’s strong encouragement to the believers in Galatia and an important example for us today. “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
CROSSWINDS
As in the natural order of things so it is also in our walk with Jesus. Individual believers and churches of any size face cultural and ideological metaphorical crosswinds. As believers we face the often turbulent and conflicting pressures of modern culture. It may take months or years for believers that start off well with great enthusiasm, enjoying genuine praise filled gatherings, disciple making and all the elements present that we read about in The Book. Yet, find themselves drifting slowly off course due to external influences which distract us from knowing God.
Discipleship of course is a twenty-four, seven journey, an apprenticeship to Jesus for all of life. Paul’s words are as sound today as they were back in between the late 40s and mid 50s AD. “KEEP IN STEP WITH THE SPIRIT.” In other words the Spirit of God within us, guides, guards and protects us from detours! We do not need to be knocked off course by crosswinds.
TROUBLESOME PEOPLE
Paul writes to the believers in Corinth after he had spent about 18 months teaching them but the church at Corinth seems to have carried cultural problems into the Church including moral, sexual and theological issues. There was no untroubled honeymoon period. The cross winds of factions, rivalries, and behavioural disorders began almost immediately after Paul left Corinth following his initial season of ministry. Paul’s chapter on love is not held up as a sentimental emotion but rather the critical glue that helped these believers face the challenges of a hedonistic society. We are called to love like that!
FILTERS
The subtle power of cross winds if given opportunity will create filters in our thinking and ultimately is an indicator that we need to get back on course.
Paul wrote to the church in Corinth who were as divided, as we are today. One says, “I follow Paul” another, “I follow Apollos” another, “I follow Cephas” still another, “I follow Christ.” Today we could fill in our own preferred leaders or denominational preferences.
Organisational language and practice has a way of slowly moving our direction of travel away from the centrality of God. These words may seem inconsequential and yet words are important and usually reflect what is in our hearts. It was Andrew Murray who said, “The flesh is religious.”
THE CHURCH – A BODY, NOT A BUSINESS
I recently closed my business account of a particular social media platform. Part of the reason was the regular cross winds of influencers currently blowing using business terminology when addressing Church life. When apprentices of Jesus do this we reduce the holy into organisational deception and the focus slowly changes to money, meeting attendance, percentages of financial givers, attendees, size and layout of the buildings we meet in.
It is most unfortunate that we have substituted God’s ways and will for data, analysis and KPIs [key performance indicators]. Of course, this vocabulary fits within the business world. But these are unfortunate distractions which have no place within God’s called out Community – God’s Kingdom. In a nutshell we must not trade faith in the unseen God with the visible idols erected within our society. Our God is a fiercely jealous God, James tells us.
WHAT DOES OUR FATHER WANT
The unfortunate result of a cross wind that creates a distraction undermines our obedience to what our heavenly Father wants. To have a hungry love for our God alone brings pleasure to the One who has called us for Himself. Distracting crosswinds can be overcome each day by grace alone, through faith alone. And the place to fill our metaphorical tank to overflowing is with Him alone.
Just as a captain of a craft has the experience and knowledge to travel in the right direction so we as God’s people have been given God’s Spirit to be responsively obedient and so enjoy His ways, and as a result reveal His glory.