BJ and Chico's Aimless Run!

I am laying in bed trying to fight pneumonia - and I admit I'm not a good patient non the less.  I have two dogs, both old but spoiled rotten.  One is a (forgive spelling) shitzhu named "BJ" and the other a well tempered (again forgive spelling) chichaua  "Chico" .  They are both loving animals and are great with our grands.

But anyway, all of a sudden a noise goes coboom and they go crazy.  You know the drill - barking and barking.  Don't know what they are barking at mind you, but they just bark the same.  Finally, someone lets them out.  As they go out, the light sensor cuts on because of their movement and you can watch them run around aimlessly barking up a storm - though they know not what they are barking for.  Running from corner to corner, wagging their tals, yet yelling an anger - they just run, look at each other, bark, wag, and then start it all over.

As I chuckled over them, I began to think of our lives as Christians.  Sometimes I think we are the same.  We get on a roll, we bark, we push, aimlessly, then we lose focus and forget what we are running about.  I wonder what would happen if we really took hold of the prize for what we been called and rather than aimlessly running began to run with a passion for the real cause, to win the prize.

I read an article in our current Western Word newsletter that really took note.  Forgive me for not remembering the writer's name.  He was a retired pilot who took off from carriers, ran a mission, and then returned for the landing.

He said this:

Take off is optional; Landing is mandantory!  And then he brought the best illustration.  The optional take off is the acceptance of our Lord's forgiveness - it's our choice.  But once we've accepted the take off, the rest is mandantory.  Our landing is the charge to "go and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the father, son and holy spirit".  The landing is a process that begins at take off and lands when we Christ calls his church home! 

So how are you flying?