Marriage Auto-Pilot

Phil 3:13-14 NIV
Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

I'm a bit of an aviation buff. I've always been fascinated with planes and flying. Recently, I was reading an article that detailed the events leading up to a devastating plane crash. It seems that up until the time that something went wrong, the plane was on auto-pilot.

Surprisingly, the most difficult aspect of learning to fly is the seemingly simple act of flying straight and level. An auto-pilot feature makes flying a plane much easier as it, in its simplest capabilities, causes the plane to maintain a compass heading. Straight and level flying simplified. However, when left unattended, an auto-pilot feature is capable of flying a plane into the side of a mountain.

Pilots are taught and trained that an auto-pilot feature still needs to be programmed and monitored. It will cause the plane to fly only in the direction the pilot programs it to. Plus, a basic auto-pilot will not automatically cause the plane to climb in order to gain altitude to clear a mountain peak. Failure to program an auto-pilot feature properly or simply turning it on and then forgetting it can lead to disaster.

In marriage simply saying "I do" without understanding what one is saying "I do" to. Or. To think that "I do" said once will suffice for the entire marriage, rather than "I did and I still do", can lead to equally devastating results.

Auto-pilots for planes are helpful. Auto pilots for marriages are devastating. If we are not calculating our motives, monitoring our thoughts, words and actions and investing in the future of our marriages, chances are, we're on auto pilot.

The Apostle Paul's words to the church in Philippi apply as well to the marriage relationship as it does to what the marriage relationship represents. If we are content with where we are and are unconcerned about where we are going we could be headed straight into a mountainside. One of the most common statements heard about plane crashes and marital conflict is, "We never saw it coming."

An acquaintance of mine has a life saying. It says, "Grow daily or die gradually." What are you doing for your marriage in order for it to grow? Or. Is your marriage on auto-pilot?

For Marriages,

Dave