THE UNITED STATES ARMY
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Devotional Thoughts

  Devotional Thoughts
   The Spiritual Side of Our Website

This part of the site features monthly devotional thoughts by the Association's Chaplain, with the goal of encouraging Signal Corps OCS Graduates to be exceptional in their lives and to live life at a higher level. Our current Chaplain is of the Christian faith, so naturally, his devotionals are fashioned around his Christian beliefs. Your comments and suggestions are welcome and can be offered directly to the Chaplain by eMail at: MaxHolt@ArmySignalOCS.com


by LTC (R) Max Holt, Class 02-67

June 2012

THE CHECKLIST

When all else fails, read the instructions!

LTC (R) Max Holt - TodayLTC (R) Max Holt

During my first combat tour in Vietnam I was assigned as a pilot flying small twin engine airplanes, delivering supplies and passengers all over the country. The airplanes we flew had retractable landing gear and would carry 10 passengers at about 200 miles per hour. One fear every pilot of such an airplane had was to accidentally land gear up, forgetting to put the wheels down. We often kidded about the old saying, “There are only two types of retractable gear pilots; those who’ve landed gear up and those who are going to!” To prevent such accidents every pilot is provided a thorough Checklist that outlines in great detail the proper procedures for virtually every action you can take while operating the airplane.

One day one of our flight crews approached a small rugged airfield for landing. It was barely big enough for that size airplane and had just a dirt surface covered by interlocked steel planks to provide a landing surface. It was a dangerous runway that required a lot of planning, a lot of caution and skilled piloting to safely land there.  To complicate matters, they were flying in and out of small rain showers, avoiding fighter jets in the area and having to coordinate by radio with three different air traffic controllers at the same time. Needless to say, they were busy and their attention to detail was somewhat strained. Normally, when the power was reduced for landing and the wheels weren’t down yet, a loud horn would sound to warn the pilot. But as they made their final approach to the runway they kept the engine power higher, due to turbulence, so the warning never sounded. When both propellers began hitting the runway they realized the wheels weren’t down! It was too late. As they listened to the sound of paint and radio antennas being scraped off the belly of the airplane they stopped being pilots and became observers, unable to affect the outcome. The Landing Checklist became a useless piece of paper. No one got a scratch but that one-quarter-million dollar airplane never flew again.

How often do you get so distracted that you forget the basic things that are most important in your life? Sometimes prayer becomes less frequent, Bible study and worship take a back seat, fellowship and activities become rare and you become an observer rather than a participant in the quality life that God has for you. The Bible is God’s Checklist for us, giving us detailed instructions on how to avoid crashing and burning in this complicated world. Psalm 119:9-11 says, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Use the checklist!

  Common Sense Application

1.  Get a Bible with a good concordance and dictionary. The NIV Life Application Bible is great! Use it to research God’s instructions in subject areas affecting your life daily.

2.  Ask a leader at your church, or go to a Christian Bookstore, for a plan to read the Bible through in the most helpful order.

3.  Find and attend, or start, a good Bible Study for your age group; one which is a serious study group, not an eating fellowship.

4.  FOLLOW GOD’S CHECKLIST!

5.  Happy landings!

 

 


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Prior Month Devotionals
May '11 Jun '11 Jul '11 Aug '11 Sep '11 Oct '11 Nov '11 Dec '11 Jan '12 Feb '12 Mar '12 Apr '12
May '12 Jun '12 Jul '12 Aug '12 Sep '12 Oct '12 Nov '11 Dec '11 Jan '13 Feb '13 Mar '13 Apr '13
  

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