When someone snores while sleeping, anyone in the room is miserable. And
the next day, the only one not wearing tooth-picked eyes is the snorer.
"What's wrong with you guys? Why couldn't you sleep? The beds sure were
comfortable!"
Our devotional is not about snorers, however, but
about snorkels. Did you know that both words were related? It was first
used in 1944 by the Germans ("Schnorchel") to refer to airshafts in
submarines. It was so named because of its semblance to a nose and to
its noise when in use.
Unlike the snorers however, snorkels bring
relief to people in submarines--and to divers as well!
While in
Queenstown, New Zealand, we took a couple of Lord of the Rings tours.
One of these took us on a wild ride through a river, and no, we didn't
use a boat! Instead we drove in a land rover that had a snorkel attached
to the passenger side of the hood. I sure didn't know that cars could
snorkel!
There were times when the river water covered most of
the windshield, but the land rover continued without difficulty. The
tour guide however, told us about a friend who tried to simulate a
similar ride, without a snorkel. His car was damaged beyond repair and
without any hope of getting one cent from the insurance company.
The reason for the snorkel? The car engine needs air. The snorkel, which
draws air from above water level, is a way to allow a car engine to
drive through up to 1.6 meters of water (5 feet) unhindered.
This
is so true when experiencing victory in our lives as well. As long as we
have access to heavenly air, we can face any challenge. If we become
filled with our own egos, or side-tracked by the fake glamour of this
life, we are headed for a breakdown. Addictions become vicious,
demanding all of our attention. Problems arise out of nowhere.
Relationships are broken, and numerous sleepless nights become the norm.
It is time we put worship in its rightful place. Spending time with
God, if done right, is not a ritual, but a "snorkel" to heaven. It
invigorates us not only for victory, but also for making a difference in
this life.
I love the time I spend with my Heavenly Dad, talking
to Him about what I am going through and sharing with Him the burdens of
those facing tribulations. He is the One who always inspires my
solutions, and as I become more and more aware of His presence in my
life, I notice that He watches over me way beyond what I expect. He
truly is so awesome!
Oh I still have my fair share of troubles,
but these no longer faze me. He is on my side!
Worship time is
not only for communication and getting closer to one another, but it is
also a time to show how much I appreciate that God is in my life (A
trait that many of us neglect even in our human relationships.).
Sometimes I do this by singing out to Him in "psalms, hymns and
spiritual songs" and at other times by singing and making music in my
heart: "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.
Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to
God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
(Eph 5:19-20 NIV)
By the way, singing like that is a snorkel to
heaven as well: "Feature trumpets and big trombones, Fill the air with
praises to King God." (Ps 98:6 The Message)
"The real believers
are the ones the Spirit of God leads to work away at this ministry,
filling the air with Christ's praise as we do it. We couldn't carry this
off by our own efforts, and we know it..." (Phil 3:3 The Message)
Notice that singing our appreciation to our Maker is often an open
door to the fulfillment of our deepest needs: "Fill the air with song,
you who've never experienced childbirth! You're ending up with far more
children than all those childbearing women. God says so!" (Isa 54:1 The
Message)
If I had to choose between snoring and having an air
intake to heaven, I would choose the snorkel, hands down. It will keep
me from breaking down!
Rob Chaffart
Air from Above
Today's Bible Verse:
"The real believers are the ones the Spirit of God leads to work
away at this ministry, filling the air with Christ's praise as we do it.
We couldn't carry this off by our own efforts, and we know it..." (Phil
3:3 The Message)
Air from Above
Announcement:
As promised, on the first Monday of every month, we be publish one oldie from our devotional files. Enjoy!
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