A The Baptist Deacon

Country Boy in the Big City

deaconfarley | February 04, 2008 14:38

Tomorrow I will take my first commercial airliner flight to New York. Now let me set this up for you. I am a country boy, some would call me a “hillbilly” some might even consider me a “redneck”. 

I’m not sure which category I fall into but one thing is for sure (or at least for sure in my mind) I will stick out like a sore thumb. I would like to just be able to blend in and not be noticed (but I also know that as a Christian; a person can tell that you don’t fit in with the world, if that’s the case then I will be fine with being noticed). As a Christian we should desire to be different from the world. I am traveling for training purposes for my job and I will be with a group of Tennesseans however I do not know anyone personally just by voices over the phone.

I was able to print my boarding pass this morning (one less thing to worry about).  I received the training itinerary so I have a general ideal about what we will be doing. Tuesday and Thursday are both travel days with Wednesday being the only actual training day.

Wednesday we are having dinner at Puglia. This will most likely be the place I will have the opportunity to stand out. I do not drink, never have been a drinker and with the Lord’s grace I never will. I feel the group that I will be with want see things the same way I do, but as long as God can be pleased with my example everything will be okay.

I know some men and have heard about others that use a business trip to forget about church, family and what people think about them. This makes me wonder if they know God the way I do or if they love their family the way I love my family. I don’t want to do that. Why would anyone who loves there family want to do that? Anyway this is getting me off subject.  If you want to know not only how I feel and what is biblical see one of my previous post… 58 years of marriage.

I thought when I took this job I would not be traveling again. The farthest away from my family that I have been was to the city where my previous company had there division headquarters 400 miles or six hours. I am now preparing to travel farther away from my home and family than I have ever been and what’s more I’m going on a commercial plane, which means flying???

I have been on a small plane before but never a big one. I have never been inside of a large airport before (see above where I referred to myself as a hillbilly).

So anyway I have read up on what I should expect from being at the airport to being on the plane and I think I am as ready as I am going to get.

I told the Sunday school class yesterday that I was not ready to admit that I am scared but I am a little nervous. I’m still not ready to admit that I am scared.  I also requested that if they had time they might pray for the pilots. I pray that they would be Christian people, because if something goes wrong there the first to know… maybe they would pray. God hears the prayers of his people.

I do believe that everything is going to be alright. As a Christian person I have the ability to cast all my cares upon the Master, but as a man in the flesh I also have the ability to take it back from Him. The spiritual man is okay, the mortal man is very nervous. I pray I can bring the mortal man a little closer to the spiritual man and feel more comfortable when I am flying.

On my way into work this morning Kent Davis was talking about being a pilot, he said that there is a checklist that is gone over before a plane takes off. God knows that I am worried about this so I believe that this message was sent to me to calm my fears. It worked, but it did not take long for that mortal man to come back around.  God is there for us ready to calm all fear if we will only ask and be receptive to what he is telling us.

Do you have a fear of hell? If you are a lost soul you should live in fear. Maybe you’re someone who thinks that I’m a good person God want send me to hell.  Jesus told Nicodemus in John chapter 3 “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”  This explains salvation in a nut shell. You must be born again to reach heaven and immortal glory. Jesus was speaking here, this is the only way you must be saved born again or you will not see the kingdom of Heaven!

If you are not saved, born again, if you continue in the condition you are in unrepentant you will one day hear 27But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.   28There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. This is found in Luke chapter 13.

What fear you will feel then, cast into hell which shall be poured into the lake of fire and burn forever.

My fear is only temporary because God is already at work calming me. I pray he calms my family’s fear as well. I pray they will be alright while I am gone, that momma can be strong, that the boys will help and Ethan and my little girl will not worry, dear God watch over and keep my family and me, calm all fear.

I will try and update when I get back Friday. I hope I even have a few pictures to share.

If you have a moment I desire your prayers for my family and me.

Until next time may God Bless You!

 

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