“One of my neighbors stopped by last night with a friend who is going to stay with him for a few days,” Stan commented as Ricky poured our coffee.
“Is this friend someone you have met before?” I asked.
“Nope,” Stan replied. “Never met him before. Nice guy. I liked him from the moment we were introduced.”
“Any particular reason?”
“Firm handshake, nice smile, looked me in the eyes when he said, ‘It’s a blessing to meet you’.”
“So he’s a believer?”
“He is,” Stan replied, “and I liked the way he told a story about his flight here and how it related to his faith walk.”
“What was that?”
“He said it was about a three-hour flight,” Stan said. “And about half way, the pilot came on the address system and told the passengers that they were heading into some turbulence. All of the passengers were instructed to return to their seats and buckle up because things might get rough.”
“I’ve been in that sort of situation,” I replied. “Time to hold on tight!”
“That’s exactly how my new friend described the situation and how it related to his faith walk,” Stan responded. “He said it reminded him of what the apostle Paul wrote in his first letter to the church in Thessalonica.”
“How did a bumpy plane ride remind him of anything that Paul wrote?”
“Paul wrote to the church to ‘hold fast’ to what is good and to abstain from evil,” Stan replied. “It seems that it’s just about the same thing as saying to buckle up and hold on tight when the evil one wants to make our relationship with God bumpy.”
“I guess you could add to that word picture,” I said with a smile, “that when Satan wants to add turmoil to my life, I should just tell him to jump out of the plane without a parachute!”
“You’ve got the picture, my friend,” Stan replied.
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Bible verses to consider:
But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22.
Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7.
Do not give the devil an opportunity. Ephesians 4:27.
If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it. Genesis 4:7.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for your provision of everything I need to hold fast to your good and to resist the evil of Satan. I confess that too often I do not hold fast to you and your good, but I choose what takes me away from you. Please forgive all of that foolishness. Please help me to choose to follow every step of your lead so I will abstain from evil in the life you have given me to live for you. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you claimed the good that God has for you through the finished work of Jesus on the cross so you will spend eternity with Him when it’s time? If no, why? If you do have the assurance of salvation and redemption, do you agree that Satan is just waiting to interfere with your relationship with God in Christ? Have you ever experienced a time when you needed to “buckle up” and hold fast to God’s good while abstaining from Satan’s evil? If so, what was your experience?
Waiting for the Train 
In this life I have come to understand staying “buckled up” is a necessity, regardless whether there is an issue being experienced or not. To experience consistent joy and peace, it requires trust in the Lord, through faith, believing that He never leaves or forsakes. I, like everyone, have ample opportunity to be guided by circumstances in this life. I thank God that I can choose what I focus on to direct my steps. Daily prayer, study and meditation on Gods word is essential to stay balanced. In the near future, a family member will pass from life on this earth, unless a miracle happens and she is healed from ALS. For the last couple of years, this issue has been the most pressing to stay “buckled up” in the Lord.
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