While discussing a biblical approach to our attitudes with a brother this week, he mentioned an aviation term he heard during a sermon by Dee Bowman.  The term is “attitude,” and I was surprised to hear that it relates to the aircraft rather than the pilot.   Curious, I later researched aviation terms to find the correlation.  

It turns out that airplanes have an instrument called an attitude indicator!  This dial, typically in the center of the instrument panel, is responsible for giving the pilot a clear picture of the aircraft’s position to the Earth’s horizon.  A safe flight “attitude” would be dependent on the plane’s wings remaining level and the correct pitch of the nose of the aircraft.  

This is applicable to our journey in this life.  It’s easy for us to have good attitudes when life is going well, isn’t it?  When the sun is shining, when we feel well, when our friendships and relationships are healthy, when our blessings abundantly outweigh our trials…

But what happens when we are discouraged? When we feel misunderstood?  When we are in the middle of a storm, how do we maintain the attitude we wish to attain…to keep our “wings” in balance, with our heavenly horizon in focus?

When I am sinking, the anchor for my spirit is found in connecting with God through prayer and His Word.  As I recall jarring attitudes during turbulent moments, I see that my “wings” became steady only when my focus returned to our Father in Heaven.  

My daughter and I have been singing the chorus to the song “Let Us Go to the Mount,” by Stephen Rouse (Based on Micah 6:8). 

The words in the chorus are simply: 

“ He has shown you, O Man; what does God require?

Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with your God.” 

This week, Micah 6:8 has been my “attitude indicator,” the instrument guiding me in my Walk with my Father.  Through His Word, God freely gives us direction while illuminating our horizon. Without Him, we would be like a pilot without instruments. With Him, we know that He is able to do all things more abundantly than we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20).

I pray that together, we keep our focus on our Father as He guides us to our final destination: Heaven.

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

~ Micah 6:8