John 3:30: “He must become greater; I must become less.”

Koi are amazing fish!

Prior to last summer we had thought of them as “just ordinary”, but when one of our neighbors gave us a few out of his pond, we quickly learned how fascinating and how amazingly hardy they are!

I released most of the neighbor’s fish into our backyard pond, but I placed about 10 of them in a half-whiskey barrel that I was preparing for a deck/kitchen mini-pond. One of the things that I had installed into the whisky barrel was a small aquarium jet. The primary purpose of this tiny machine was to provide aeration and circulation to the water; however, in order to increase the aesthetic value of our miniature pond, I positioned it in the center, near the surface, so that it shot up a small water jet about 6 inches in the air. Once introduced to their new home, it didn’t take the Koi long to discover the delights of swimming into the water jet and letting it propel them wherever it would. They were soon “jumping” to their heart’s content!

Unfortunately, we were not at home while they learned this new trick, and we returned to find three of our fish lying on the deck. Two of the three had already dried up, but the third one was still occasionally gasping for air. I disposed of the two dead ones, but as I was preparing to put number three out of its misery, my son stopped me. He insisted that I let it drop it back into the barrel with the others. He was so adamant about it that I gave in, and sure enough, the fish DID survive!

One day, a few months later, we noticed that we were missing a fish. Since we had just cleaned out the barrel and rearranged the rocks, we figured it had found a new hiding place, but the boys and I searched the tank thoroughly, and it was nowhere to be found. Finally, we abandoned our search. It was a real mystery, because we knew fish can’t fly, and if a fish that large had died, we would have been able to find the remains. Two months later, when cleaning the barrel again, we found it, stuck behind the rocks. I have no idea what it ate during all this time, but it was still as fat as ever. When we shifted the rocks to release it, however, we unknowingly cut huge gouges in its side. Even this didn’t seem to daunt it in the least, and it is still swimming strong today!

Last week, I was sure all of our Koi were finally on their way to pet heaven. They were floating on their sides at the top of the barrel, gasping for air. The biggest one was barely breathing at all. The cry went out through the house: “Emergency! Our fish are dying!” Soon the entire household had banded together to try to find the cause. We emptied out some of the water, cleaning out what seemed to be an inordinate amount of algae and debris. Then we found the pump, buried under the rock formation. It was completely plugged with plant and fish debris. No wonder our fish were dying! They didn’t have any air, and without the regular circulation of water, the toxin levels in the barrel had reached critical. How could we resuscitate asphyxiated, poisoned fish?

We cleared the pump and started to refill the barrel, and as soon as the fresh water began to circulate throughout, the fish perked up. Even our biggest one turned off of its side and began to swim like it was supposed to! Although air deprived and poisoned, life had returned into their bodies. They had survived their ordeal!

Hardy? I should say so! But was there another lesson these little guys had to teach us?

While reflecting on this experience, I pondered how many times I have found myself “floating on my side” and “trying not to suffocate”, completely deprived from heavenly oxygen. It is a miracle I am still spiritually alive today!

How can one be deprived from heavenly oxygen?

When my will is more important to me than God’s and when I insist on doing my own will instead of my Father’s, this is when I become deprived from spiritual oxygen. Sin is what separates me from my Heavenly Father. Sin is what cuts deep into my relationship with my Maker. The wages of sin are death and no cure was ever found to stop this dying process. Not until Jesus came to our rescue that is, by dying the death we all deserve and by sharing His “Heavenly Oxygen”-His resurrection life, with those who accept Him.

Are you panting for spiritual oxygen? Remember: “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 NIV) Come to Jesus. He is the only way! “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'” (John 14:6)

Why linger any longer helplessly on your side? Why let the debris of sin hamper us from breathing real oxygen?

Rob Chaffart