From as early as Joshua Sink could remember he had a passion for flying. While children typically change occupational dreams a dozen times, Josh was settled from the moment he could walk that one day he would be an airline pilot. He was spellbound as he watched planes take off and land. He would spend hours just watching them soar above the sky. Getting gifts for Josh was easy – anything having to do with planes. While his sister was playing house, he was playing airport. As a young boy his dad arranged for him to see the cockpit during a flight. He was awed by the amount of gauges and controls.
Throughout his schooling he was focused on getting his wings. After Josh flew his first solo flight he was determined that nothing was going to stop him from living out his dream to fly others into the heavens above the earth. He had his own private pilot's license even before he had his driver's license. Josh even married a beautiful pilot named Kelly. Almost everything in his life revolved around flying.
His training at a well-known airline company was in high gear, climbing higher and higher into the wild blue yonder, when it all seemed to stop and begin a nosedive into reality. On a Monday afternoon, during the first week of training, the director announced that a very important class was to be held the following Saturday and everyone was required to attend – if anyone missed that class, or any class for that matter, he would be cut from the roster. Before the training had begun Josh had received assurances that there were not going to be any classes on Saturday. Besides his family, there was one thing more important to Josh than flying and that was God. At an early age Josh committed his life to following God. He had more than memorized the Ten Commandments, they were written in his heart. His commitment to God and his love for flying were in line for a head on collision.
The week dragged by as thoughts swirled through his head. "How could this happen? Wasn't it God who had been leading all along? Didn't God open the doors for this training? God is loving and forgiving. He won't mind if I break His Sabbath this once. Besides, the circumstances are out of my control. It is just a class – it is not like it is really working."
No, following God's word was more important to him than anything else. Josh determined that God was first and he would have no other gods before Him, including flying. Josh prayed and prayed throughout the week and sought for ways around this predicament, yet nothing seemed to open up. Five days went by and still Josh did not know what was going to happen, but come what may, God was his pilot, not his co-pilot. He was not going to ask God to follow his lead; he was going to follow God's lead and obey His orders.
Friday morning the director of the program showed up to class and announced that the teacher's wife had just gone into premature labor two months before her due date and so there would not be any class on Saturday. Josh didn't know if he should rejoice that God proved faithful to His word, or be concerned for his teacher's wife and child. The director quickly announced that mother and baby were doing fine! The storm clouds had parted and Josh was now prepared for take off.
This was not the last time Josh was faced with a test of his allegiance to God and His commandments. As a commercial airline pilot Josh has seen God open the sky time and time again so that he would not have to work on God's Sabbath, His day of rest.
God has promised that He will make possible whatever He commands. As with Moses at the Red Sea, sometimes the waters do not part until the last minute, but God is faithful – He has the steering column. Josh has found that even when there is turbulence during the flight of life, or when storm clouds seem ready to strike him down, God is in control when he allows Him to be the Pilot.
Originally from: Jewish Discoveries by Jeff Zaremsky, pages 112 - 114, which contains a total of 22 fascinating chapters of biblical history and lessons plus 25 rich Jewish tradition sections, and 27 powerful testimonies, with over 40 beautifully rendered professional works of art all on over 300 jam packed pages. You can own this treasure by visiting www.Jewishheritage.net
