If Only We Could Have a Helicopter’s View of Life

Have you ever ridden in a helicopter? How about the Goodyear blimp, or a hot air balloon? I’ve done none of the three, but I think it would be fun to ride in one of those and get a view of one’s surroundings from a reasonable distance. I’ve flown in airplanes many times, even a twin-engine Cessna, but typically the view they provide is far off. A helicopter, for example, would provide a better perspective, I suspect.

I raise this subject because of a talk I recall from years ago by a fellow named Bill Gillham. This downhome, folksy fellow had a disarming way about him – his countrified speech belied the fact that he was one smart guy. He passed away in 2011, but Gillham and his wife, Anabel, touched countless lives with their very practical, and often humorous, approach to teaching biblical truth.

 

One of the things I remember Bill talking about was God’s perspective on life. We earthlings are limited by time and space, meaning we’re captives of this moment and the specific spot where we happen to be at any given time. By contrast, God has no such limitations. He has what Bill called a “helicopter view” of our lives, able to see the past, present and future all at once.

 

Over the years, I’ve found that image comforting. Very much so. Because often, when caught up various crises, all we can see is the “Now,” the present moment with its trials and travails. We can’t see, maybe can’t even conceive of, how it could fit into the Lord’s eternal plan. But with His lofty perspective from “Heaven Force One,” God knows the important events and circumstances in our lives aren’t random at all. 

 

This is one reason God could make promises in the Scriptures like Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” From our point of view, grim developments – whether an unpleasant health diagnosis, an unexpected financial dilemma, a crisis at work, a family challenge that seems beyond resolution, or more pervasive national or international strife – are catalysts for high anxiety, even panic. “Lord, in case you haven’t noticed, we’ve got a big problem down here!”

 

If we could join the Lord in His outside-of-time-and-space “helicopter,” however, we’d realize there’s no reason for fear, handwringing, or gnashing of teeth. (My dentist, by the way, strongly discourages teeth gnashing.) We’d probably see that like individual dominoes lined up, one falling into another, the current conundrum is a necessary part of God’s plan to accomplish His purpose in our lives – and through our lives – for His glory and praise.

 

Among the many benefits of parenting is being able to experience, in the most miniscule of ways, what this must be like. As little Johnny or Joanie is growing up, mom or dad must make tough decisions. They introduce their youngsters to the concept of “No!”, whether it’s not to touch the stove, run into the street after a ball, or talk to strangers. 

 

We also practice discipline, insisting that they clean their rooms or do their homework before going to play or forbid them to venture into places that could endanger them in some way. Why? Because in a sense, we too have a helicopter-type view of things, understanding our guidance is not just for the present but also to ensure a safe and happy future – in light of what we’ve experienced ourselves in the past.

 

So, as we’re fretting over our circumstances, or praying to God, suggesting what we’d like for Him to do, recognition that He operates from a broader, timeless perspective indeed can give us the assurance that our Father knows best.

 

Watching too much of the news can put us in a perpetual state of alert. Chicken Little loves to scream, “The sky is falling!” because it really makes people nervous. Based on what we can see, who knows what bad stuff will happen? However, if we associate God with “helicopter,” we can feel secure entrusting Him with the uncertain and unknown future.

 

Speaking to His chosen people through the prophet Jeremiah on another occasion, God said, “So do not fear, O Jacob my servant; do not be dismayed, O Israel…. I will surely save you out of a distant place, your descendants from the land of their exile. Jacob will again have peace and security, and no one will make him afraid. I am with you and will save you…” (Jeremiah 30:10-11).

 

In the writings of another Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, we read equally promising words from the Lord: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). The only way He could promise this is if He knew the end from the beginning, observing from high above the fray. 

 

Letting us know nothing had changed over the centuries that followed, we find a similar promise in the last words Jesus spoke following His resurrection, just before His ascension back to heaven. He said, “And surely I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Someone once told me that in the Bible, when God says “always,” what He really means is…always.

Next time you find yourself looking around, feeling dismayed or disheartened by what you see, turn your thoughts to the Lord. And think…HELICOPTER.