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Autopilot

We were on our way back from a weekend camping trip. The road ahead of us was long and the sun had set. Eager to be back home, but stuck behind a line of cars, I surveyed my surroundings before making my next move. Half-listening to the conversation behind me, I noticed that the dividing line was dashed, so I glanced at my side view mirror, threw a quick look over my left shoulder as I flipped on the turning signal, and proceeded to move into the next lane. As my gaze returned to the front of the car, I heard the combined shout of my wife and my friend in the back seat. About 25 feet ahead, I saw the headlights of an oncoming car speeding toward us, so I quickly swerved back into my lane. Adrenaline pumping, heart pounding, I was dazed at the thought that our lives could have ended in that instant. As I continued driving, I reflected on my thought process leading up to the near miss. How did that happen? I realized that when I had seen the dashed line with a line of cars on one side and no cars on the other, the fact that we were on a two-way highway momentarily escaped me. I mistakenly thought we were driving on a one-way road with two lanes. In that second, my mind switched to autopilot as I went through the routine of changing lanes – something I had done countless times before. Only when I heard the warning shout from my wife and friend did I realize my near-fatal mistake.

 Unfortunately, going on autopilot is not restricted to our time on the road. It affects us all too often on our spiritual journey as well. We find ourselves stuck in a routine that tends to squeeze out our time with God until we realize that we have drifted far from where we want to be. Our jobs, our school work, our relationships, even our church involvement demand so much of our time and energy that we have no time to spend with the One we say we are living for. Invariably, this leads us to lose focus, to forget the big picture, to fail to remember that we are each involved in a great controversy over precious souls. We become complacent. We find ourselves not caring about the eternal fate of those around us. We lose that burden for souls and we become resigned to a life where we’re just going with the flow, a life filled with the mundane – a life of unfulfilled potential.

 Thankfully, our God is a God of mercy and He sends us timely wake-up calls to startle us from our spiritual slumber. His shouts of warning can be heard in difficult life circumstances, in the counsel of caring friends, and in close calls. He reminds us to stop being near-sighted, to take a step back, to take from Him the heavenly eye salve He promises us in Revelation 3:18. There is only one remedy for this deadly problem of going on autopilot: daily communion with Christ. "It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by point, and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones. As we thus dwell upon His great sacrifice for us, our confidence in Him will be more constant, our love will be quickened, and we shall be more deeply imbued with His spirit" (Desire of Ages, p. 83). It is only by habitual personal contact with Christ that we can hope to live a life of true fulfillment. It is only then that we will be filled with the love of God for the precious souls around us and a burden to point them to the Lamb of God at whatever cost. It is only then that we will have the courage and strength to deliver the three angel’s message with power, God’s last message of mercy to a dying world.

 Brothers and sisters, let us resolve not to “…look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18 NKJV). Resolve to spend a thoughtful hour, even just a thoughtful half hour each day on our Lord Jesus Christ. In doing so, we will be able to overcome the tendency to go on autopilot by handing the wheel to our true and faithful Pilot, that He may guide us where He needs us to go.
“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14 KJV).

Maranatha!

Jeffrey Cho is a resident physician in the Loma Linda Family Medicine and Preventive Medicine Combined Program. He is happily married to his wife, Michelle, who works as a designer in an architecture firm. His interests include medical missionary work, small group ministry, and spreading the gospel of the three angels’ message.


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