The Unexpected Landing: A Devotional Story
The Unexpected Landing: A Devotional Story
Mrs. Florence Penguin, a creature of precise routes and predictable migratory patterns, was in a pickle. One minute, she was soaring elegantly along the jet stream, her purse — bulging with her prized peppermints — swinging merrily. The next, a rogue gust, a misread current, and a dizzying tumble found her crash-landed, quite literally, next to Chester Crow’s treehouse in the sprawling heart of a cornfield. Her vintage biplane, usually a marvel of aeronautical grace, now rested awkwardly amidst the stalks, emitting a faint plume of bewildered steam.
Chester, a creature of habit himself, squawked down from his lofty perch, a mixture of alarm and curiosity in his voice. "Well, I'll be! A flying penguin? And in my cornfield, no less!"
Just a stone's throw away, in the neatly tilled garden of Maplewood Baptist Church, Polly Partridge chirped from a small, newly planted pear sapling. She was a Christmas partridge by trade, accustomed to a life of festive grandeur, but her usual pear tree had needed some serious TLC, prompting her seasonal stay. Polly, with a little sprig of holly nestled in her head feathers, watched the scene unfold with a quiet amusement that only a bird named Polly Partridge could muster.
Florence, dabbing her brow with a peppermint-scented handkerchief, sighed. "A wrong turn, dear boy. A very wrong turn indeed. And my peppermints are quite disheveled."
Chester, ever the practical sort, began to ponder the logistics of extracting a penguin and a biplane from a cornfield. Polly, however, simply offered a small, melodious trill.
"Perhaps," Polly called out, her voice clear and sweet, "it wasn't a wrong turn at all, Mrs. Penguin. Perhaps it was simply a different turn."
Florence looked from her crumpled plane to the towering corn, then to Chester's bewildered face, and finally to Polly, perched serenely beside her tiny pear tree.
The Devotional Reflection
Life, much like Mrs. Florence Penguin's journey, often takes unexpected turns. We plan our routes, pack our "peppermints" (our comforts, our routines, our sense of control), and expect a smooth flight. But then, a "jet stream" shifts, a "wrong turn" is made, and we find ourselves crash-landed in an unfamiliar "cornfield" — a situation we never anticipated.
In these moments, it's easy to feel disoriented, to focus on the "disheveled peppermints" of our lives, the plans that went awry, the sense of being off-course. We might, like Chester Crow, immediately jump to the practical problems, the "how to fix this" dilemma.
But sometimes, as Polly Partridge reminds us, what feels like a "wrong turn" might actually be a different turn altogether. It might be an invitation to a new landscape, an introduction to unexpected companions, or an opportunity for growth that wouldn't have blossomed on our original path.
God's plan for us often unfolds in ways we don't foresee. What looks like a mistake from our limited perspective might be a divinely orchestrated redirection. His faithfulness isn't found just on the well-worn paths, but also in the quiet, dusty corners of the cornfield where we unexpectedly land.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for guiding us, even when we feel lost or off-course. Help us to see Your hand not just in the smooth flights, but also in the unexpected landings. Give us the wisdom to understand that a "different turn" can often lead to new blessings and deeper understanding of Your perfect plan. May we find peace and purpose even amidst the cornfields of our lives. Amen.
Advice & Journal Prompts
Notice your “cornfield moments” — times when life feels off-track.
Ask God what He might be teaching you there — instead of assuming you failed.
Let someone trustworthy help you reorient — a friend, mentor, or family member.
Remember: God isn’t limited by your wrong turns — He works through them.
Mrs. Penguin’s sudden stop in the cornfield is a beautiful metaphor for the moments God uses "crashes" to bring us to a standstill. Sometimes we are flying so fast along the jet stream of our own plans that we can’t hear Him. It takes a "wrong turn" and a "crash landing" to get us quiet enough to draw nearer.
Here is some advice, journaling prompts, and scripture to go with her peppermint-scented detour.
Spiritual Advice: The Purpose of the Pause
When you find yourself in a "cornfield" you didn't schedule, your first instinct is to fix the plane and get back to the jet stream. But Florence’s crash happened right next to a church garden and a new friend (Chester).
The Advice: Stop trying to "take off" immediately. If you are in a season of redirected plans, consider that God might have grounded you simply because He wants your company. Use this "forced rest" to look for the Polly Partridges and Chester Crows He has placed around you. The "nearness" you find in the cornfield is often more precious than the progress you made in the sky.
Journaling Prompts
The Scattered Peppermints: Florence nearly lost her purse of peppermints. In your current "crash landing," what comforts or "sweet things" are you afraid of losing? Are you willing to let God replace those comforts with His presence?
The View from the Treehouse: Chester Crow saw the crash from above. Who in your life has a different perspective on your situation? What are they seeing that you might be missing because you're too focused on the "wreckage"?
The Jet Stream vs. The Garden: The jet stream is fast and cold; the garden at Maplewood Baptist is slow and growing. In what ways is God asking you to trade "speed" for "growth" right now?
Drawing Nearer: Reflect on the lyric "Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer precious Lord." Does the "cornfield" feel like a place where you can get closer to Him, or does it feel like a place of abandonment? Ask Him to show you His "precious bleeding side" in the midst of your mess.
The Scripture
"But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds." > — Psalm 73:28
Why this fits: Florence didn't plan to be in a cornfield, but once she was there, she found a refuge. Like the lyric you heard, this verse reminds us that "nearness" is the ultimate goal. The crash isn't a punishment; it’s a relocation to a place where being near Him is the only thing left to do.
A Closing Thought
Florence might have lost her way, but she didn't lose her Father. The peppermints might be scattered, but the Bread of Life is right there in the garden of Maplewood Baptist.
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