"You're Now FREE to move about the Country"

Travelling is not only part of my job but one of my greatest JOYS! My life resembles PLANES, TRAINS & AUTOMOBILES (literally). Travelling is not always glamorous but it is indeed God’s grace that I get to roll (much less FLY).

When I worked on Capitol Hill, one of the highlights for me was flying two days on one of the Presidential aircraft. On this particular trip, I was honored to fly on a Boeing 757 and it was typically designated as “AIR FORCE TWO.” More often than not, the Boeing 747’s are the primary planes designated for POTUS. The government purchased FOUR Boeing 757’s and frequently fly the Vice President, First Lady, Secretary of State and/or occasional Congressional leadership and Cabinet level staff. However, not all runways can accommodate the massive 747 jumbo jet so the President also flies on a smaller aircraft (757 and even Gulfstream jets periodically).

When I flew on one of the planes (757) in April 2000, we left Andrews Air Force Base in Clinton, MD and flew to Fort Bragg, NC and spent the night. I was blessed to sleep in rooms designated for colonels and above while armed military personnel and the United States Secret Service protected the plane the entire time we slept. The next morning, we left North Carolina first thing after smacking down on Carolina BBQ the night before and flew to Patrick Air Force Base in sunny Florida (Cape Canaveral). Ironically, that morning we landed on the same runway that the Space Shuttle returns home from orbit. WOW – tell me, I didn’t feel like Forrest Gump! Once again, a glorified goofball with the “Big Boys!”

The plane was big, bold and beautiful and painted white with the bright blue fuselage depicting “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” in black letters. Truly, it resembled as President Ronald Reagan described: “The flying White House.” It is also one of the planes that our Commander in Chief flies on occassion and the fact is, if he were flying in a hang glider it would be considered: “Air Force One.”

Since leaving the perks, pay and prestige of politics and no longer employed with the government my main mode of transportation as an evangelist these days is Southwest Airlines. I LOVE Southwest for a couple reasons. For starters, they are cheap, casual, comfortable, courteous and convenient to reach most cities. But the best part – you get to pick your own seat (that didn’t sound right)! 🙂 Honestly, both “Air Force One” and Southwest are “first class” when you are in the will of God. On one I was employed by the government but today I am empowered by God.

I love their advertisement that boasts: “You’re now FREE to move about the country.” The Bible notes in Romans 8:1-4: “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” In the Bible we find a BIG word called JUSTIFICATION. One preacher from days gone by correctly broke the word down as if to mean “JUST AS IF” I never sinned.

God replaces our guilt for His grace. Guilt makes one cower in the corner while grace grants courage to flat out FLY to new levels conquering old devils. Our sin cost God’s only Son but because He died we could live in this life and the one to come. When we find Jesus as our Savior, Sacrifice and Substitute – He enables through Salvation (like Southwest) to move about the Country and makes us a peculiar people with purpose, passion and purity.

Sin restricts but “who the Son sets free is FREE indeed!” The Bible notes: “While we were yet sinners – Christ died for us.” If that doesn’t give flight to your wings than you are carrying too much baggage (guilt). Sin is a rope tied way too tight. It is bondage that leaves one looking in the past and not with expectancy to the future. It is a weight that will hold you down emotionally, physically and spiritually. However, when we find forgiveness from God we are liberated to be, go and do what we were created. When forgiveness floods our soul we are free to fly to heights we only dreamed and true “success” begins and ends with faith in Jesus.

THE WORD OF THE DAY: “Why be grounded when you can encounter God’s great grace!” Today, trade your guilt for His grace, your shame for His Game plan and may you no longer be grounded on the runway of life but taxi, take off and tower with God’s power to SOAR like you never have before! The control tower has cleared you, the Captain has cleansed you and because of the rich, red blood of Christ (like Southwest) truly, you are now FREE to move about the Country.