Fly the Friendly Skies

I grew up in the sixties and if you did and watched any television, you heard more than once the United Airlines commercial.  "Fly the friendly skies of United", which came out in 1965, was the idea of Leo Burnett agency of Chicago.  While very catchy and clever, those who know God, also know that the skies do not belong to United.  And while "my hat is off" to Burnett's mind penetrating and long-lasting idea, I'd like to encourage both believers and unbelievers with a mind penetrating and ever-lasting truth.

While the basis for this truth is the ancient word of God, the Bible, A.W. Tozer, just a few years before the United jingle came out, penned these words: "...we dwell under a friendly sky".  Before I tell you why he said this, let me first show you the picture he paints that makes this phrase so encouraging.   "Sin has made us timid and self-conscious.  Years of rebellion against God have bred in us a fear that cannot be overcome in a day."  But Tozer encourages his readers in the paragraph before with this: The whole outlook of mankind might be changed if we could all believe that we dwell under a friendly sky and the the God of heaven, though exalted in power and majesty, is eager to be friends with us."

Tozer goes on to say that some may struggle with the great number of sins from their past and question how God could react to such a wretched life.  "If I come to God, how will He act toward me?  What kind of disposition has He?  What will I find Him to be like?"

The answer is that He will act just like Jesus.  Look for yourself in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John or listen to this short list: "to the penitent, He will be merciful, the self-condemned will find Him to be generous and kind.  The frightened will find Him to be friendly, the poor in spirit will know Him as forgiving, to the ignorant, He is considerate and to the weak, He is gentle.  And to the stranger, He is hospitable."

The paradox of the man who accepts Christ by faith is this:  "While His greatness arouses fear within, His goodness encourages us not to be afraid of Him.  To fear and not be afraid!"  Thank you, Mr. Tozer, for this reminder that He Who made the skies wants relationship and once we are His, the skies, indeed, are "friendly skies".