“LIFT JESUS HIGHER”

[My Big Brother Glenn and some of the many planes he flew]

         I guess we were all “high fliers”. Mama convinced us that we could do anything we wanted to do, if we wanted it bad enough and were willing to work for it. I don’t remember her saying this in so many words. Perhaps it was just her attitude about life. Or perhaps God planted this in us at birth and watered it with words from teachers, friends, and the church.
         My brother Glenn took to the skies early. Just out of high school, he joined the Air Force and soon became a Captain. I was about twelve or thirteen when Mother and I went to Enid, Oklahoma to pin his Wings on him. He had earned his “Wings”.
         Years later, just out of college, I too decided to reach for the sky. In what seemed like a miracle, I was accepted into AmericanAirlinesStewardessSchool at Amon Carter Field in Fort Worth, Texas.
         Mother was there, too, at my graduation and saw me receive my “wings”. Now, she had two little birds in the air and one still on the ground.
         I don’t know where Daddy was that day, but I know he was praying for us as Glenn went to Okinawa and I went to New York City. Both of us facing different kinds of danger.
         I can understand now how Mother and Daddy made a good team. Mother was the Martha of our family…the active one. She was always ready to go. Dad was more like Mary, who spent time at the feet of Jesus. He stayed and prayed.
         How many times my brothers and I were protected from disaster and death by the persistent prayers of our father. We may never know until we get to Heaven.

[Gwen and Glenn Garig]

         My favorite memory of my dad’s answered prayers for my brother is when Glenn literally had an enemy plane flying above him and one flying below him. And how he escaped being killed, only God, Glenn, and our dad, knows.
         My dangers were different. As an innocent lamb in New York City, among the “wolves” of prey, this naïve country girl was delivered from many close calls. It had to be Daddy praying. Thank You, Jesus.
         Oh, I have so many good memories of flying above the clouds. It’s not hard at all for me to picture Jesus returning that way.
         One of my personal mottos was: “Reach for the moon and you will at least get a star.” To aim too low always meant to receive less.
         So, to this day, when the clouds of doubt and fear try to block out the sunshine in my life, I continue to say: “LIFT JESUS HIGHER.”

         And this song plays in my heart:
         ♫Lift Jesus Higher
           Lift Jesus Higher
           Lift Him up for the world to see.
           And I, if I be Lifted Up,
           I will draw all men unto Me.♫   (John 12:32).

         Not only will He draw them to Himself, out of the muck and mire of this temporary life and circumstances, but He will allow them to sit in Heavenly places as they fellowship with Him in their private tabernacles. Then the day will come when they will rise to meet Him in the air. Come Lord Jesus!
         As Jesus died for us, rose from the grave and ascended to Heaven, so shall we. We will join Him in the clouds and be taken to our Heavenly Home for a season. No more tears: no more grief. Praise God!
         But as long as we are still on earth, we must continue to remain High Fliers and constantly LIFT JESUS ABOVE all our circumstances. When times seem tough, we must “Lift Him HIGHER”.
         The tougher the circumstances, the Higher we must lift Him. As we rise with Him above the clouds…higher and yet higher if need be…the things of earth will grow strangely dim. Just as a plane rises and the cities and mountains below become smaller and smaller.  Eventually we rise so high with Jesus our Pilot, that we can no longer see the problems below.

         One of the first Angel Food Cards (page 26 in Angel Food book) said: 

         My prayer for you today is that you will LIFT JESUS HIGHER and Fly Above every Circumstances in your life. Receive your “wings” today and remain a HIGH FLIER.