Here’s a devotional I just submitted to The Hamilton News for publication in their Pastor’s Pen column for this week:

Nearly three years ago, on January 15, 2009, an unknown commercial pilot named Chesley Sullenberger became famous. It wasn’t his plan. As a matter of fact, he became reluctantly famous.

His plane, a huge Airbus A320, dubbed US Airways Flight 1549, took off on a routine flight from LaGuardia Airport in New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina.

As the plane rose in the skies it flew through a flock of geese, taking out both engines. Immediately the plane lost power. The pilot and co-pilot calmly radioed back to the control tower for advice on an airport they could land at. There was only seconds to make a decision. The control tower gave them two options.

Captain Sullenberger, running all his options through his trained mind, replied, “Negative, we’re gonna be in the Hudson.” Once he had made the debatable commitment, there was no turning back. He calmly ordered the passengers to “prepare for impact” and set the falling plane gently down in the Hudson River.

He refused to be panicked by the stresses all around him and the voices of advice, and followed his decision out to the end. The rest is history. They all survived and Captain Sullenberger earned the nickname ‘Captain Cool’. How did he find such calm peace under such stress? The answer is he trained for it.

What have you prepared for in life? If a health or family crisis hit your life, do you have a default setting for dealing with these, or would you panic under the stress?

The Bible advises us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Tags: peace, plan, trials, trouble

Tonight is our church’s Annual Business Meeting, a time when we meet as a Corporate Membership to review where we’ve been and select leadership for where we are going. Business meetings are not pleasant times in most churches.

I remember a couple of years ago I was asked to chair a business meeting for a church that was between pastors. A couple of older former members who had gone on to other churches showed up to voice their gripes. They raised questions that had nothing to do with the business of the church. They questioned my motives for even being there. I’m sure they were committed Christians who were headed for heaven, but they attempted to bring great confusion to that church body. It was one of the most stressful meetings I’ve ever attended, and this was a Church! I didn’t see such disrespect when I was a Union Steward.

Years later one of the elders from that church said that I saved the church that night. I’m not sure about that, but I learned that night that sometimes God’s people are our own worst enemy.

Why do you think it is that Christians get so opinionated and spiteful when the scripture tells us to live peacefully among all men?

Tags: division, peace

The Proverb writer penned: “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverb 15:1).

Meditate on this thought today. If you reply with a gentle answer, anger is turned away, whereas if you reply harshly, you are the one stirring up anger. What does that say about how you should respond to your spouse? What does that say about how you should treat your children?

I remember a elderly man at Betz’s Nursing Home that was always pursuing the ladies and would get irate whenever the aides tried to redirect him. One time when I was there he exploded in anger and yelled at another resident. As his rage increased I walked up to him, sat down next to him and calmly asked him questions. He railed away to me and his voice got softer and softer as we talked. I dispelled his anger by just giving him attention. Afterward an aide thanked me for helping with him.

Is it possible you can do the same thing at home? Just remain calm and ask questions. Don’t escalate the conflict. A harsh word will always escalate the situation. Let’s apply biblical practices to our personal lives.

Tags: anger, conflicts, peace

Evangelist G. F. Pentecost told of a man who came to see him at a meeting because he was under deep conviction of sin. His conscience was continually condemning him. He was very angry with Pentecost, and with D. L Moody, who had preached the previous week.

“I wish you and Moody had never come to this city!” he shouted. “Before you came, I wasn’t troubled about my sins. You talk of peace and joy, but you have turned my soul into a living hell. I can’t stay away from the meetings, and to come to them only makes me feel worse. You promise salvation, but all I find is torment. I wish you would leave, then I’d get back my old peace.”

His old peace! If God would leave us alone, we would have no guilt. But, because He loves us, He doesn’t leave us alone. He convicts of sin so we can change and find His peace. Our peace is only temporary anyway.

Tags: conviction, peace

During World War II when Europe was infected with antisemitism, an 11-year old boy named Heinz learned about planting “seeds of peace.” Confronted by Hitler’s thugs who roamed the streets looking for trouble, Heinz didn’t fight back or walk away. Instead, he witnessed firsthand how the tongue can create peace. Whenever a beating seemed inevitable, he used words to convince his enemy that fighting wasn’t necessary. Years later, after his family escaped to America, Heinz’s name became synonymous with peace negotiations. In fact, he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973! You know him better as former Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger. And even though he generally downplayed his earlier experiences, you have to wonder if his training started backs on the streets of Europe.

Perhaps God is preparing you today for what He wants to accomplish through you later. Hang in there; you can make it.

Tags: Kissinger, peace, World War II

Yesterday I took the day off and drove with Anita down to southern Indiana where we met our daughter and grandkids from Nashville, Tennessee. We spent a couple of hours at a McDonald’s play area, then moved suitcases from our daughter’s car to ours. We then drove back home with Lauren and Reuben, ages 6.5 and 3, respectively. They will spend the week with us and attend the Vacation Bible School at the church.

The one thing they both wanted to do was sit around a bond fire, so I fired up the firepit in the evening and we sat around the fire. They live in Antioch, a suburb of Nashville near the airport. So I had little Reuben on my lap on the porch swing after dark and asked him what sounds he could hear. Its fairly quiet at our house compared to the city. But, he identified the sounds he heard: first the crickets, then a dog barking, a motorcycle revving up, a train whistle. Finally, with the window open behind us, he exclaimed, “I hear Grandma!”

Have you ever sat still and identified all the sounds that come into your ears? Its amazing how many times we simply filter those sounds out as not important. Perhaps that’s what happens with that still small voice that God is sending our way. Let’s pay attention. What’s God been saying to you?

Tags: listening, peace, quiet